Cal (7-8, 1-1 Pac-12) vs. UCLA (11-4, 2-1 Pac-12)

Saturday, Jan. 6 | 3:30 PM PT | Haas Pavilion | Berkeley, Calif.
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California men's basketball wraps up the first Pac-12 home series of the season on Saturday when the Golden Bears play host to the UCLA Bruins. The action begins at 3:30 p.m. from Pete Newell Court, airing live on the Pac-12 Network and on KGO 810 AM.

UCLA is coming off a double overtime loss at Stanford, 107-99, which saw Aaron Holiday tally 29 of his 31 points after halftime. Meanwhile, the Bears look to rebound after dropping an 80-62 decision to USC on Thursday evening. Three Bears scored in double figures, led by 15 points from Justice Sueing, but the Trojans held Cal to a season-low point total. The Bears look to avoid their first Haas Pavilion sweep by the LA schools since 2007, when a pair of ranked UCLA and USC squads topped Cal in Berkeley to close out the month of January. 

At 16.5 points per game, Sueing is one of two Bears averaging double-figure scoring totals in two games of Pac-12 action thus far. He has been superior down the stretch for Cal, tallying a combined 13 points in the final minutes of games against Stanford and USC. Against the Trojans, he scored five points in the final minute, plus 13 of 15 in the second half. Previously, he turned in eight points in the final three minutes at Stanford, and 14 of his 18 in the game in the second half. Marcus Lee is averaging 14.5 points in conference action, and shooting at a 70.4 percent clip in his last three outings. The Antioch, Calif. product is 19-27 from the floor in the last three games, dating back to Dec. 21.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Roxy Bernstein and Don MacLean have the call from Berkeley, live on the Pac-12 Networks. Fans can also follow the action on the Pac-12 Now app on mobile, and by watching at www.Pac-12.com/live on the web. The California Golden Bears Sports Network will offer play by play and analysis, as well as post-game interviews, from Todd McKim and Jay John live on KGO 810 AM. Live stats, full broadcast details and more can be accessed via the Cal men's basketball schedule page on CalBears.com, and fans can follow the Bears on social media via @CalMBball on Twitter and Instagram, and at Facebook.com/CalMBball.
 

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SCOUTING THE BRUINS

Last Meeting: The fourth-ranked Bruin squad defeated the Bears, 81-71, at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Jan. 5, 2017
Series Record: UCLA leads, 137-103
UCLA's 2017-18 Record: 11-4, 2-1 Pac-12
UCLA's Last Game: UCLA fell in double overtime at the Farm, 107-99, on Thursday
• UCLA has five players averaging in double figures, led by Aaron Holiday (19.3 points per game) and including Kris Wilkes (13.4), Thomas Welsh (12.3), Jaylen Hands (11.9) and Prince Ali (10.3). 
• Holiday scored 31 points, including 29 after halftime, in Thursday's loss at Stanford.
• Ali is shooting 47.5 percent (19-40) from three-point range this season.
• The Bruins are averaging 89.7 points and 42.7 rebounds in conference play. UCLA is 14th in total rebounds per game at 41.27.
• UCLA is ninth in the nation in defensive rebounds per game, averaging 30.13
•The Bruins are 0-2 in true road games this season.
• Cal has won two straight at Haas Pavilion against the Bruins.

CAL RECORDS AGAINST UCLA
Points: 36, Bob McKeen, Feb. 19, 1955
36, Mark McNamara, Feb. 19, 1982
36, Lamond Murray, Feb. 24, 1994
Rebounds: 21, Darrall Imhoff, Feb. 13, 1960
21, Camden Wall, March 2, 1964
FG: 15, Bob McKeen, Feb. 19, 1955
3P: 6, Ryan Forehan-Kelly, March 7, 2002
FT: 15, Lamond Murray, Feb. 24, 1994

SERIES NOTES
Record at Cal: 45-60
Neutral: 8-5
Last 10 meetings: 5-5
Most points, Cal: 104, 1992-93
Most points, UCLA: 115, 1967-68
Largest margin, Cal: 33, 1922-23
Largest margin, UCLA: 44, 1967-68
Longest Cal win streak: 16, 1929-30 to 1933-34
Longest UCLA win streak: 52, 1960-61 to 1985-86
Current Streak: 1, UCLA 

LAST TIME OUT

Cal dropped its Pac-12 home opener to USC, 80-62
• The Bears logged a season-low in points to take their first loss in conference play.
• Cal's starting lineup changed for the first time in six games, with Kingsley Okoroh starting instead of Nick Hamilton.
• Juhwan Harris-Dyson logged a career-high 10 points for the third time this season.
• Roman Davis connected on the first three of his collegiate career.
• Justice Sueing's nine rebounds marked a new career-high for the rookie.
• Marcus Lee (10 points) and Sueing (15) also scored in double figures.

Marcus Lee NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE

Marcus Lee is one of 30 student-athletes from men's basketball programs around the country recognized as a candidate for one of the most prestigious awards in college athletics – the Senior CLASS Award. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ® , the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. 

Lee, a social welfare major, is no stranger to acts of community service, earning All-NCAA Community Service, SEC Community Service and Allstate Good Works Team recognition while he was at Kentucky. At Cal, he is a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Cal's Pac-12 SAAC representative, partnering with 23 Pac-12 student-athletes to change the views on equality empowerment. He has attended numerous community service events in the Bay Area and in Lexington, including serving a pancake breakfast to seniors, spreading holiday cheer at the Children's Hospital Oakland, organizing a blanket drive and visiting children affected by pediatric hospitalization.

From the list of 30 candidates, a committee will select 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award in February. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote open to media, coaches and fans. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

As a team, Cal ranks in the nation's top 25 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- 17th, 5.9
• Free Throw Attempts -- 16th, 385
• Free Throws Made -- 19th, 271
• Total Blocks -- 15th, 89

Individually, Cal student-athletes rank in the Top 50 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- Kingsley Okoroh (24th, 2.53) and Marcus Lee (37th, 2.27)
• Free Throw Attempts -- Don Coleman (5th, 126)
• Free Throws Made -- Don Coleman (12th, 94)
• Offensive Rebounds Per Game -- Marcus Lee (42nd, 3.07)
• Total Blocks -- Kingsley Okoroh (19th, 38) and Marcus Lee (34th, 34)
• Total Field Goal Attempts -- Don Coleman (27th, 233)

ROOKIES RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

With one of the youngest squads in the national, California's newcomers have been pushed to step up and contribute major minutes to the lineup. 

Two freshmen are averaging double figures for the Bears, with Darius McNeill (12.9 points per game) and Justice Sueing (12.2 ppg) averaging above 11.0 points.

McNeill, a Houston, Texas product poured in back-to-back career-high point totals, starting with 18 points against Chaminade and improving to 22 points against CSUN, then topped it four games later with a 30-point outing against CSU Fullerton. McNeill became the 40th player in Cal basketball history to score 30 points in a game. Against the Titans, he also recorded career-high totals for assists (6), steals (5) and rebounds (6). Following his 30-point outing against the Titans, McNeill added 20 points -- all in the second half -- at Seattle. The rookie carried a 12-game three-pointer streak before it was snapped in Cal's nonconference finale against Portland State. He has 11 games with multiple three-pointers this season.

Sueing was pivotal in Cal's come-from-behind win at Stanford, scoring 14 of his 18 points in the second half with the Bears down 17 points. Over the final three minutes, he scored eight points. Earlier this season, he scored a career-high 23 points against Chaminade, including 19 in the second half, and has scored in double figures in eight games this season while starting all but one game. His output comes after missing most of the preseason due to a stress fracture. 

Juhwan Harris-Dyson has also stepped up with solid minutes off the bench for the Bears, averaging 4.6 points and 3.1 rebounds. He came up clutch in Cal's 63-62 win at San Diego State, icing a pair of free throws with less than 8 seconds in the game to lift Cal to the win. Harris-Dyson has scored his career-high 10 points thrice this season.

Rookie Grant Anticevich helped fuel Cal's comeback win at Stanford with a key three-pointer at 1:19 in the second half to help erase the deficit. Anticevich was 1-10 on the season in three-pointers before making the three that brought the game within one point.

BIG KIDS ON THE BLOCK

California's senior big men are among the country's best players on the block, with Kingsley Okoroh and Marcus Lee combining for 72 blocks so far this season.The Bears rank among the Top 20 nationally for total blocks (15th, 89) and blocked shots per game (17th, 5.9). 

Individually, Okoroh is 19th in the nation with 38 total blocks, and 24th with 2.53 blocked shots per game. Lee is 34th for his 34 total blocks and 37th at 2.27 blocks per game. 

The 7-1 Okoroh has tied the Cal single-game record for blocked shots twice this season, recording 7 blocks against UC Riverside and against Portland State. He ties the number set by Michael Stewart (1994-97), which Stewart recorded thrice in his Golden Bear career. Okoroh has 173 career blocks, currently ranked third among Cal's career leaders. Stewart ranks second with 207 blocks, and David Kravish (2012-15) leads with 226 career blocked shots.

The Cal team record for blocked shots in a season is 161 blocks through 33 games in 2013, an average of 4.9 per game. The Bears are currently swatting shots at a pace of 5.9 blocks per game, with 89 total blocks.

ROAD WARRIORS

With the Dec. 30 win at Stanford, the Golden Bears are riding a three-game win streak in games away from Haas Pavilion, and are 3-0 in true road games this season. The streak started on Dec. 9 with a 63-62 victory at San Diego State, followed by a decisive 81-59 victory at Seattle on Dec. 19. The 77-74 win on the Farm came as a come-from-behind victory in which the Bears battled back from a 17-point deficit late in the second half.

Cal's three-game road win streak is its best since 2015, when the Bears won at Washington State, Washington and Colorado between Jan. 29 and Feb. 12. The streak ended on Feb. 15, 2015, when Cal fell at No. 11 Utah, 68-61. The Bears have not recorded a four-game winning streak in true road games since the 2002-03 season, when Cal took wins at New Mexico, Cleveland State, Washington and Washington State.

NEXT UP

California heads north to the Evergreen State for the second time in less than a month for Pac-12 road action against Washington and Washington State. The Golden Bears open the road trip in Seattle against the Huskies at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, then head to Pullman for a 1 p.m. tilt with Washington State on Saturday, Jan. 13. Both games air on the Pac-12 Networks.