California men's basketball starts the New Year in hostile territory as the Golden Bears head to the Farm to open Pac-12 play against Stanford on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. from Maples Pavilion, with the game airing live on ESPN2.

After starting the new season with four consecutive wins, the Bears posted a 6-7 record in non-conference action. Matt Bradley opened his sophomore campaign with  a career-high 25 points and has helped carry the Bears since, pacing his squad with 17.5 points per game. Grad transfer Kareem South is contributing 11.5 points per game, while Grant Anticevich has emerged to lead the Bears in rebounding with 5.5 boards per game while shooting 50 percent (15-30) from 3-point range.

The Cardinal own an 11-2 record, with their lone losses coming in a one-point game to Butler (68-67) on Nov. 26 and to No. 5 Kansas (72-56) last Sunday.

The Bears look to make it three consecutive wins at Maples Pavilion, a feat that no Cal squad has matched since the 1984-86 seasons.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: 
Dave Feldman and Adrian Branch have the call on ESPN2, which can also be viewed at www.watchESPN.com and on the watchESPN app. Rich Cellini and Todd McKim will deliver play-by-play and analysis for the California Golden Bears Sports Network on KGO 810 AM and via TuneIn. Live stats, broadcast info and links and more for each of Cal's games this season can be accessed via the Cal men's basketball schedule page on CalBears.com. Fans can follow the Bears on social media via @CalMBball on Twitter and Instagram, and at Facebook.com/CalMBball.
 

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BY THE NUMBERS

9.8 -- After averaging 14.8 turnovers through their first nine games, the Bears have cut their turnover average down to just 9.8 in the last four outings. Cal has recorded fewer than 10 turnovers in three of the last four games.

73.8 -- In its 6 wins, California is averaging 73.8 points and holding opponents to 64.5 points. The Bears are 4-1 when scoring 70 points or more.

84-86 -- California last won three consecutive games at Stanford between the 1984-86 seasons. The Bears went 5-1 over the Cardinal in those three seasons, losing just once, at home.

6.3 -- After averaging just 2.9 points through Cal's first 10 games, Juhwan Harris-Dyson is averaging 6.3 over the last 3, including a season-high 9 points vs. Saint Mary's.
 

MORE NUMBERS TO KNOW

• Matt Bradley has reached double figures in all but one game this season (vs. Duke).

• Bradley ranks among the top 100 players in the nation in a number of offensive categories, including points per game (87th, 17.5), total points (84th, 227), free throws made (17th, 66), free throw percentage (69th, 85.7) and free throw attempts (47th, 77).

• Kareem South has reached double-figure scoring totals in four consecutive games, and six of his last seven outings.

• Grant Anticevich is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc this season, with a 15-30 clip.

• Andre Kelly's 3-pointer in the first half against Harvard was just his third 3-pointer of the season and first since he made one in both of the first two games of the year vs. Pepperdine and UNLV.

• Four Golden Bears have combined for a total of eight 20-point games this season: Matt Bradley (5 games), Grant Anticevich (1), Andre Kelly (1) and Kareem South (1).
 

SCOUTING THE CARDINAL

• Series Record: Cal leads, 150-125
• Last Meeting: California wrapped up the 2018-19 regular-season on a high note by taking a 64-59 win over the Cardinal -- their second consecutive win at Maples Pavilion. Paris Austin had 15 points and Matt Bradley added 14 in the win.
•  Stanford's 2019-20 Record: 11-2
• Stanford's Last Game: Stanford suffered a loss at the hands of No. 5 Kansas, who downed the Cardinal 72-56 at Maples on Sunday, Dec. 29. Oscar da Silva led the Cardinal effort with a game-high 19 points, and Tyrell Terry had 10 points.
• da Silva paces the Cardinal at 17.7 points per game, followed by Terry's 15.2 points.
• da Silva's 61.8 percent shooting ranks 18th nationally.
• Spencer Jones is shooting 46.2 percent from 3-point range, a mark that ranks 17th nationally. He is averaging 2.77 3-pointers per game.
• The Cardinal are 37th nationally in turnovers forced, and 70th in steals per game.
• Stanford's offense ranks among the top squads in the nation in FG percentage (20th, 48.8) and 3-point FG percentage (22nd, 38.7).
• Stanford is giving up just 58.8 points per game, a scoring defense that leads the Pac-12 and ranks 13th in the nation.

SERIES NOTES
Record at Stanford: 77-73
Neutral: 15-4
Last 10 meetings: 4-6
Most points, Cal: 101, 1976-77
Most points, Stanford: 101, 1999-00
Largest margin, Cal: 40, 1946-47
Largest margin, Stanford: 51, 1999-00
Longest Cal win streak: 14, 1924-25 to 1929-30
Longest Stanford win streak: 9, 1996-97 to 2000-01
Current Streak: 1, Cal

RECORDS AGAINST STANFORD
Points: 41, Ray Murry, March 5, 1977
Rebounds: 22, Ansley Truitt, Feb. 4, 1972
FG: 17, Dick Tamberg, Feb. 26, 1954
3P: 7, Jabari Bird, Feb. 17, 2017
FT: 16, Jackie Ridgle, Jan. 17, 1969
 

LAST TIME OUT

The Result: Harvard handed Cal a 71-63 loss to close out non-conference play on Sunday, Dec. 29 in Haas Pavilion.
• Three Golden Bears scored in double figures, led by Matt Bradley's 15 points. Kareem South added 13 points, while Grant Anticevich scored 12.
• After going to the free throw line once in the first half (0-1), Cal shot 17-for- 23 from the stripe in the second half.
• Cal committed fewer than 10 turnovers for the third time in its last four games, finishing with 9. The Bears did not commit a turnover in the second half until 3 seconds remained in the period.
 

NEXT UP

The Golden Bears wrap up a 10-game Bay Area homestand by hosting the Washington schools to open Pac-12 play in Haas Pavilion. The weekend starts with Washington State on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m., followed by Washington on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 5 p.m. Both games air live on the Pac-12 Networks.