Cal (8-17, 2-10 Pac-12) at Utah (14-9, 6-6 Pac-12)

Saturday, Feb. 10 | 6:30 PM PT/7:30 PM MT | Jon M. Huntsman Center | Salt Lake City, Utah
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California men's basketball wraps up its Mountain Schools road trip on Saturday evening when the Golden Bears take on the Utes beginning at 6:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. MT. The game tips off from the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, live on the Pac-12 Networks and KGO 810 AM.

The Bears are coming off another hard-fought loss after taking Colorado into the final seconds in Boulder on Wednesday evening. The Buffaloes led by as many as seven points in the final 50 seconds of the game, but timely three-point shooting by Darius McNeill and Justice Sueing cut Colorado's lead to just two points with 11 seconds remaining. McNeill drained two threes within an eight-second span, but couldn't convert his final attempt with three seconds remaining and the Buffs came away with the win.

Cal's grit down the stretch is indivative of the Bears' improvements in recent weeks as the team continues to battle. The Golden Bear defense has especially tightened up as of late, holding opponents to under 70 points in the last three outings. In that span, Cal is limiting its foes to an average of six three-point makes. In the five games prior to that, the Bears were allowing 10.2 three-pointers per game.

Four Bears are averaging double-figure scoring in Pac-12 play, led by Sueing (16.2 points per game) and followed by Marcus Lee (12.8), McNeill (10.1) and Don Coleman (10.1).

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: 
Rich Burk has play-by-play and Kevin O'Neill will provide color commentary live on the Pac-12 Networks. Follow along with the Pac-12 Now app, or online at www.Pac-12.com/live. 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 UTES

Last Meeting: Cal defeated Utah, 78-75, in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament on March 9, 2017.
Series Record: Cal leads, 14-13
Utah's 2017-18 Record: 14-9, 6-6 Pac-12
Utah's Last Game: Utah snapped a two-game losing streak by downing Stanford 75-60 at home in the Huntsman Center Thursday night.
• Justin Bibbins leads as one of four Utes scoring in double figures with 13.9 points per game. David Collette (12.4), Sedrick Barefield (11.7) and Tyler Rawson (10.7)  are also pouring in points for the Utes.
• Bibbins is averaging 15.6 points in Pac-12 action, and is fourth in league play for assiststs with an average of 5.0 per game.
• Collette is shooting at a 59.6 percent clip (56-94) in Pac-12 play, good for third in conference.
• The Utes own the Pac-12's second-best scoring defense, limiting opponents to 70.3 points per game.
• Utah is averaging 71.4 points in 12 league games.
• The Utes are 3-2 at home in conference play.
• Utah has 210 three-pointers, an average of  9.2 threes per game. The Utes have drained at least 10 three-pointers in 11 of 23 games

CAL RECORDS AGAINST UTAH
Points: 26, Justin Cobbs, March 14, 2013
Rebounds: 14, Ivan Rabb, Feb. 2, 2017
14, Richard Solomon, March 5, 2014
FG: 10, Justin Cobbs, March 14, 2013
3P: 4, Jabari Bird, Feb. 2, 2017/March 9, 2017
4, Allen Crabbe, Jan. 24, 2013/ Feb. 28, 2013
FT: 8, Jabari Bird, March 9, 2017
8, Ivan Rabb, March 2, 2017
8, Jaylen Brown, Jan. 27, 2016
8, Justin Cobbs, Feb. 28, 2013

SERIES NOTES
Record at Utah: 5-8
Last 10 meetings: 4-6
Most points, Cal: 95, 1953-54
Most points, Utah: 99, 1964-65
Largest margin, Cal: 36, 2011-12
Largest margin, Utah: 25, 1964-65
Longest Cal win streak: 5, 2008-09 to 2012-13
Longest Utah win streak: 3, 1939-40 to 1945-46;
2012-13 to 2014-15
Current Streak: 1, Cal

LAST TIME OUT

California took Colorado to the final seconds, ultimately falling 68-64
• Three Bears scored in double figures – Kingsley Okoroh (12 points), Darius McNeill (12) and Marcus Lee (10).
• Lee recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
• Roman Davis set a career-high six points and five rebounds.
• McNeill scored six of his 12 points in the final 19 seconds of the game on two three-pointers.
• For the first time in Pac-12 play, Justice Sueing did not score in double figures. Sueing was scoreless at halftime before pouring in his 6 points in the second half. He went 1-15 from the floor.
• The Bears limited the Buffs to 28 first-half points -- the sixth time this season that Cal held an opponent to a season-low 28 points in a half.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

As a team, Cal ranks in the nation's top 25 for:
• Free Throw Attempts -- 14th, 600
• Offensive Rebounds per Game -- 13th, 13.56
• Total Blocks -- 25th, 125

Individually, Cal student-athletes rank in the Top 50 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- Kingsley Okoroh (44th, 2.04)
• Field Goal Percentage -- Marcus Lee (38th, 56.9)
• Free Throw Attempts -- Don Coleman (26th, 166)
• Free Throws Made -- Don Coleman (39h, 123)
• Offensive Rebounds Per Game -- Marcus Lee (18th, 3.40)
• Total Blocks -- Kingsley Okoroh (35th, 51) 

MADE OF STEAL

California men's basketball is on pace to finish with its best steals per game mark in more than a decade, with the Bears currently 98th in the country with 6.9 spg. The Bears are also 84th in the country in total steals (173), while Justice Sueing is 86th in total steals (41).

Cal last finished a season averaging 6.0 or more steals per game in 2003-04 (6.2), capping off the year with 173 steals.

ROOKIES IN THE RECORD BOOK

California's rookies are fast approaching some of the program's freshman-record totals. Among them:

THREE-POINT FG MADE
1.     Allen Crabbe (2011)    62
2.     Ryan Drew (1968)    60
3.     Ryan Anderson (2007)    58
4.    Darius McNeill (2018)    51
5.     Shantay Legans (2000)    47
6.     Charlie Moore (2017)    45
...
    Justice Sueing    34

STEALS
1.     Jason Kidd (1993)    110
2.     Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996)    52
3.     Shantay Legans (2000)    51
T4.    Butch Hays (1981)    42
    Michael Chavez (1980)    42
...
    Justice Sueing (2018)    41

FREE THROWS MADE
1.     Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996)    170
2.    Jaylen Brown (2016)    142
3.    Brian Hendrick (1990)    128
...
9.    Tremaine Fowlkes (1995)    94
10.    Jason Kidd (1993)    88
..
    Justice Sueing (2018)    76

POINTS
1.     Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996)    590
2.     Ryan Anderson (2007)    539
3.    Jaylen Brown (2016)    498
...
9.    Lamond Murray (1992)    387
10.    Jason Kidd (1993)    378
...    
    Justice Sueing (2018)    344

NEXT UP

The Bears will enjoy a week-long break before returning to Pete Newell Court to host Stanford on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. The game airs live on ESPNU.