BERKELEY – California will dive back into the remainder of Pac-12 Conference play when it hosts Utah at 7 p.m. PST on Thursday in Haas Pavilion.
 
The Golden Bears (1-12, 0-2 Pac-12) have not played since Dec. 21 when they opened a four-game homestand by thrashing UT Arlington 73-51 for their first win of the season. They'll look to build off of the victory as they welcome a Utah (9-4, 2-0) squad that has lost its past two games to BYU and TCU, but has won three consecutive meetings in the head-to-head series with Cal.
 
The contest will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with Guy Haberman and Ben Braun on the call.
 
GAME INFORMATION

• Date & Time: Thursday, December 29 | 7 p.m. PST
• Location: Berkeley, California | Haas Pavilion
• Watch: Pac-12 Network | Guy Haberman­ (PxP) & Ben Braun (Analyst)
• Listen: 810 AM & The Varsity App | Rich Cellini (PxP)
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

 
NOTEWORTHY

• Cal's first win of the season – a decisive 22-point victory – came without leading scorer Devin Askew (16.9 points per game), who did not play due to a foot injury. The Bears' struggles this season have been amplified by numerous injuries, as seven of 13 scholarship players have missed 46 combined games. Expected starters DeJuan Clayton (1,534 career points) and Jalen Celestine (7.5 points per game in 2021-22), have yet to play, spreading Cal's backcourt depth and offense options thin.
• Without Devin Askew on the floor against UT Arlington, the senior trio of Joel Brown, Kuany Kuany and Lars Thiemann stepped up with 50 combined points on 18-of-28 shooting. Brown led Cal in scoring for the second straight game with a career-high 17 points while Thiemann matched the scoring output and Kuany added a career-high 16 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists.
• Forward Grant Newell was voted as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for his performance in the Bears' win against UT Arlington on Dec. 21. Newell – who scored nine points along with three assists, two rebounds and a steal in the win – is Cal's first recipient of the Pac-12's freshman of the week honor since it was introduced during the 2019-20 season.
• Devin Askew ranks second among all Division I players for the largest improvement in points per game from 2021-22 to 2022-23 with a +14.8 PPG difference. The junior averaged just 2.1 PPG at Texas last season and is now leading the Bears with 16.9 PPG.
• The Bears have forced 30 total turnovers in the past two games, including a season-high 18 in a loss at Santa Clara on Dec. 18.
• Cal dished out a season-best 15 assists against UT Arlington on Dec. 21 on the way to its most points scored (73) since Feb. 12, 2022.
• Cal continues to excel at the free throw line, ranking second among Pac-12 teams and 31st nationally with a 76.1-percent clip. Kuany Kuany, who set career highs in free throw makes (9) and attempts (11) against UT Arlington, is shooting 86.6 percent while Devin Askew owns an 85.1-percent mark. They are the conference's only teammate duo averaging 85 percent or better at the line.
• Wednesday marks the 39th all-time meeting between Cal and Utah. The Utes own a 20-18 advantage in a series that dates back to 1933. Cal is just 1-3 in its last four home games against Utah, with the lone win in that span coming in overtime on Feb. 29, 2020 in Mark Fox's first year in Berkeley.

 
UP NEXT
The Bears will take the floor once more during the 2022 calendar year when they host Colorado at 3 p.m. PST on Saturday, Dec. 31. The contest is the front end of a basketball doubleheader in Berkeley, as the Cal women host Arizona afterward at 7 p.m. PST.
 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal men's basketball, follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalMBBall), Instagram (@CalMBBball) and Facebook (/CalMBBall/).