BERKELEY – The California men's basketball team will play away from home for the first time this season when it faces UTEP in the semifinal round of the SoCal Challenge on Monday in San Juan Capistrano. Tipoff from The Pavilion on JSerra High School's campus is slated for 9:30 p.m. PST on CBS Sports Network.
 
Cal (2-2) and UTEP (4-0) are two of four teams in the SoCal Challenge Surf Division along with Bradley and Tulane, the latter two of which will face off in the first semifinal contest at 7:30 p.m. Monday. The championship and consolation games will be played Wednesday, and the Golden Bears will remain in San Juan Capistrano through the Thanksgiving holiday before facing San Diego State on Saturday at the same site.
 
GAME INFORMATION

• Date & Time: Monday, Nov. 20 | 9:30 p.m. PST

• Location: San Juan Capistrano, California | The Pavilion (JSerra Campus)
• Watch: CBS Sports Network | Chris Sylvester (PxP) & Dave Miller (Analyst)
• Listen: 810 AM & The Varsity Network App | Justin Allegri (PxP)
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

 
LAST TIME
A short-handed Cal dropped a 63-60 contest to Montana State at home on Thursday. The Bears played without starting guard Devin Askew (foot) – who averaged 32.7 minutes per game through the first three games of the year – and forward Jalen Celestine (foot), who scored 21 points in Cal's season opener. Jaylon Tyson nearly willed Cal to the comeback victory, tying a career high with 27 points, including the Bears' final 11.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
The Bears and Miners will meet for the first time Monday. Undefeated UTEP scored 120 and 123 points in its first two games before defeating UC Santa Barbara 89-76 and Austin Peay 71-63 this past week to enter the SoCal Challenge at 4-0. The Miners are shooting 57.9% (150 of 259) from the floor so far this season. Cal graduate guard Keonte Kennedy – who has not played yet this season due to a hand injury – spent three seasons at and graduated from UTEP (2019-22). He averaged 11.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG in his two eligible seasons for the Miners.

NOTEWORTHY

• Fardaws Aimaq and Jaylon Tyson have recorded two double-doubles apiece through four games this season. Only one other Pac-12 player – Washington's Keion Brooks Jr. – has tallied multiple double-doubles so far.
• With his fifth of seven made 3-pointers in Cal's 83-63 win against CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 13, Jalen Cone reached 300 for his career. He's second on the team with 15.8 PPG this season, with 13 of his 18 made field goals coming from deep.
• Cal is outrebounding its opponents by 9.2 boards per game, including a plus-26 margin over its past two games.
• After its first two opponents shot 25-of-54 (46.2%) from 3-point range, Cal has limited its past two foes to just 25% (9 of 36) from behind the arc.
• Mark Madsen's Utah Valley squad won the SoCal Challenge Sand Division title in 2021, defeating Nicholls State 74-63 in the title game.
• Cal will play five of its remaining seven nonconference games away from the friendly confines of Haas Pavilion.

 
UP NEXT
Cal will face Bradley or Tulane in the championship game (7:30 p.m.) or consolation game (9:30 p.m.) of the SoCal Challenge on Wednesday.
 
STAY POSTED
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