Cal vs. Arizona
California men's basketball returns to Haas Pavilion to face Arizona for a primetime Saturday contest beginning at 7:30 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks.
After dropping five consecutive games in the series, the Golden Bears are looking for their first win over the Wildcats since a 74-73 victory over then-No. 12 Arizona in Haas on Jan. 23, 2016. A win over the Wildcats would also be Cal's first conference win of the season, and first Pac-12 win since Feb. 3, 2018 against Oregon State.
Despite their 0-3 league record, the young Bear squad features four players averaging 13.0 or more points in Pac-12 play, led by
Darius McNeill's 15.7 points.
Matt Bradley has 15.3 points in league action and is coming off a career-high 19-point performance against Arizona State.
Justice Sueing, who led Cal in conference play last season, is averaging 13.7 points per game, followed by 13.0 from
Paris Austin.
Arizona heads to Berkeley with a 3-0 Pac-12 record, including an 84-81 overtime win over Utah on Jan. 5. The Wildcats have won each of their last five games, with Brandon Randolph's 15.8 ppg and Chase Jeter's 15.0 ppg pacing the team in that span.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Bill Walton and Ted Robinson are on the call for Saturday's action with Arizona, live on the Pac-12 Networks. Fans can also watch online at www.Pac-12.com/live, or on the Pac-12 Now app. Todd McKim and Rich Cellini will have the action for the California Golden Bears Sports Network on KGO 810 AM and via TuneIn. Live stats, broadcast info and more can be accessed via the Cal men's basketball schedule page. Fans can follow the Bears on social media via @CalMBball on Twitter and Instagram, and at Facebook.com/CalMBball.
BY THE NUMBERS
19 --
Matt Bradley poured in a career-high 19 points against the Sun Devils on 7-12 shooting. With three consecutive double-figure outings, he is averaging 15.3 points in the last three games after averaging just 8.0 points in the three games before his recent stretch.
-2.3 -- Cal has cut its rebound margin to -2.3 in Pac-12 play after being outrebounded by opponents by a -6.3 margin in nonconference action. The Bears are 1-1 when posting more rebounds than their opposition.
17.6 --
Darius McNeill is averaging 17.6 points in his last five appearances. He's shooting 44.1 percent (30-68) from the floor and 35.0 percent (14-40) from 3-point range in that span.
4 -- Four Golden Bears are perfect at the free throw line in Pac-12 play, led by
Justice Sueing's 15-15 mark and
Darius McNeill's 10-10 mark.
Connor Vanover and
Juhwan Harris-Dyson are each 2-2.
12/15 --
Justice Sueing has not missed a free throw since Dec. 15 against Cal Poly. He is 27-27 in that span and has hit all his free throws in nine games this season to rank 38th in the country in free throw percentage (87.2).
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
• Series Record: Arizona leads, 62-31
• Last Meeting: Cal fell to Arizona in Tucson, 66-54, on March 3, 2018.
Justice Sueing was the lone Bear to score in double figures with 17 points.
• Arizona's 2018-19 Record: 12-4, 3-0 Pac-12
• Arizona's Last Game: The Wildcats won at Stanford, 75-70, on Wednesday. Five players scored in double figures, led by Brandon Randolph's 17 points.
• Randolph leads the 2018-19 Wildcats with 16.6 points per game, and 16.3 ppg in Pac-12 play. He's also 61-67 at the stripe this season to shoot 91.0 percent, the 10th-best mark in the country.
• Chase Jeter is shooting 63.6 percent from the field, a mark that ranks 19th nationally. He's second among the Wildcats with 12.8 points.
• Brandon Williams is averaging 12.3 ppg in Pac-12 play.
• Over their last five games, Arizona is outscoring opponents 70.8-63.4
• Arizona's 3-point field goal defense is 40th in the country (29.8 percent).
• The Wildcats lead the Pac-12 in turnovers forced (15.63) and turnovers per game (11.6), along with a +4.0 turnover margin that ranks 25th nationally.
SERIES NOTES
Record at Cal: 18-26
Last 10 meetings: 1-9
Most points, Cal: 105, 2010-11
Most points, UA: 107, 2010-11
Largest margin, Cal: 44, 1958-59
Largest margin, UA: 46, 2001-02
Longest Cal win streak: 5, 1935-36 to 1958-59
Longest UA win streak: 10, 1999-00 to 2003-04
Current Streak: 5, Arizona
RECORDS AGAINST ARIZONA
Points: 34, Connie White, Dec. 27, 1974
Rebounds: 22, Mark McNamara, Jan. 30, 1982
FG: 16, Connie White, Dec. 27, 1974
3P: 8, Jerome Randle, March 5, 2009
FT: 11, Butch Hays, Jan. 30, 1982
LAST TIME OUT
• The Result: Cal couldn't keep up against Arizona State, falling 80-66
• Cal opened with a 21-10 lead with 7:26 left in the first half, holding ASU to just 3-of-18 from the field during the stretch.
•
Matt Bradley stretched his career high to 19 points for his third consecutive game in double figures.
•
Darius McNeill added 16 points.
•
Connor Vanover matched a career-high four rebounds.
RANKING ROUNDUP
As a team, Cal ranks Top 50 nationally in:
• Free-Throw Percentage: 12th, 76.8
• Fewest Turnovers: 42nd, 177
Individually, Cal players rank in the Top 100 nationally in:
• Assist Turnover Ratio:
Paris Austin (81st, 2.23)
• Assists Per Game:
Paris Austin (61st, 5.2)
• Free Throws Made:
Justice Sueing (84th, 68)
• Free Throw Percentage:
Justice Sueing (38th, 87.2)
RICKSEN EARNS NEWELL AWARD
John Ricksen, a member of the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame who starred on the basketball and tennis courts for the Golden Bears before going on to a long law career, was named this year's recipient of the Pete Newell Career Achievement Award on Jan. 10. The Career Achievement Award is presented to a Cal men's basketball alumnus who has distinguished himself in his career accomplishments, upholding the highest ideals of Coach Newell and the University of California. In basketball, John earned letters in 1951, '52 and '53, earning first-team PCC All-Southern Division honors as a senior co-captain when Cal finished 15-10 overall and won the Southern Division title.
NEXT UP
Cal's second conference road trip of the season brings the Bears to the Evergreen State, where they tip off against Washington State at 7 p.m. on Jan. 17, and at Washington at 2 p.m. on Jan. 19. Both games air live on the Pac-12 Networks.
