BERKELEY – California will open Pac-12 Conference play on Wednesday night when it hosts USC at Haas Pavilion. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT and the conference contest will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with Roxy Bernstein and Bill Walton on the call.
 
The Golden Bears (0-7) are back home after two games played at the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Florida, where they fell short against TCU and Clemson. Wednesday's clash with the Trojans (4-3) is the first of two early Pac-12 games for Cal this week, including a road contest at No. 4 Arizona on Sunday, Dec. 4.
 
GAME INFORMATION

• Date & Time: Wednesday, Nov. 30 | 7 p.m. PT
• Location: Berkeley, Calif. | Haas Pavilion
• Watch: Pac-12 Network | Roxy Bernstein (PxP) & Bill Walton (Analyst)
• Listen: 810 AM & The Varsity App | Rich Cellini (PxP)
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

 

??Giveaway Alert??

The first 1,000 students through the doors for tonight's Pac-12 opener will get a FREE Cal Bears flag!

Tip-off is at 7pm in Haas Pavilion ?? Get there early to secure yours.#GoBears ???? pic.twitter.com/LC8S1HW4BG

— Cal Athletics (@CalAthletics) November 30, 2022

NOTEWORTHY

• The Bears have lost eight consecutive games against USC dating back to Jan. 4, 2018. A win on Wednesday would be Cal's first overall against the Trojans since a 74-73 victory in Los Angeles on Jan. 8, 2017 and its first at home since Feb. 28, 2016.
• Cal is the Pac-12 leader and ranks 35th nationally in free-throw percentage (76.7 percent). It's the only team in the conference with three players – Kuany Kuany, Devin Askew and Lars Thiemann – averaging 80 percent or better at the charity stripe.
• Junior guard Devin Askew has paced Cal in the early stages of his first season with the Blue and Gold, as he's one of just two Pac-12 players averaging at least 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Askew has led Cal in scoring in all seven games while playing a team-high 33.7 minutes per game.
• Senior center Lars Thiemann was named to the Emerald Coast Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting .667 percent from the floor in two games against TCU and Clemson. He leads Cal in rebounding (6.7 RPG) and has scored in double figures six times.
• The Bears have held three opponents under 40 percent shooting from the field this season, including a pair of power-conference opponents in Kansas State (.368) and TCU (.393).
• Cal owns a plus-eight rebounding advantage in its last four games played.
• Cal's backcourt has been plagued with injuries this season, as guards Jalen Celestine and DeJuan Clayton have yet to play. Celestine underwent an offseason knee surgery and a timetable for his return has not been set. Clayton arrived at Cal as a graduate transfer this past offseason after amassing 1,500 points and 400 assists in his career with Coppin State and Hartford. 
• Head coach Mark Fox additionally announced Tuesday that senior guard Jarred Hyder will undergo surgery, likely ending his season.

 
UP NEXT
Cal gets back on the road this weekend for a Pac-12 battle at No. 4 Arizona. Tipoff from the McKale Center in Tucson is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT on Sunday, Dec. 4 and the contest will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with Ted Robinson and Matt Muehlebach on the call.
 
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