SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – The California men's basketball team will look to rebound from a last-second loss to UTEP on Monday when it faces Tulane in the SoCal Challenge consolation game on Wednesday night at The Pavilion on JSerra High School's campus. Cal (2-3) will gear up for another late night of action, with tipoff slated for 9:30 p.m. PST on CBS Sports Network.
 
GAME INFORMATION

• Date & Time: Wednesday, Nov. 22 | 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
Jalen Cone sank a game-tying 3-pointer with six seconds remaining, but Tae Hardy answered from beyond the arc at the buzzer to rally UTEP to a 75-72 victory over the Golden Bears in a SoCal Challenge contest that started at 10:11 p.m. PST and extended into early Tuesday morning. Despite committing 28 fouls and turning the ball over 21 times, Cal was able to claw its way back from an 11-point deficit before ultimately falling short.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Cal won both previous meetings with Tulane in 1964 and 1993, the latter contest being played as part of the Otis Spunkmeyer Classic at the Oakland Coliseum. Tulane (3-1) lost to Bradley 80-77 in the first SoCal Challenge semifinal contest Monday, with Jaylen Forbes' 17 points leading a group of four Green Wave players in double figures.

NOTEWORTHY

• Fardaws Aimaq posted 18 points and 11 rebounds against UTEP for his Pac-12-leading third double-double in five games this season. It was his 47th career double-double effort and marked the second time this season he reached 18 points.
• Aimaq and Jaylon Tyson – who double-doubled in each of his first two games of the season – are two of just three Pac-12 players with multiple double-doubles, along with Washington's Keion Brooks Jr. (2).
• Cal was without starting guard Devin Askew (foot) and key wing Jalen Celestine (foot) for the second consecutive game against UTEP, while graduate guard Keonte Kennedy (hand) remained inactive to start the season. Askew and Celestine averaged 20.7 combined points per game so far this season while Askew has added 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in an average of 32.9 minutes played.
• Cal ranks fourth among Pac-12 teams and 53rd nationally with 17.6 free throws made per game. The Bears are getting to the line at an aggressive rate, having attempted at least 20 free throws in all five games. Tyson (82.8%, 24-of-29) leads Cal in makes and attempts.
• The Bears have outrebounded their opponent in all five games this season, owning a plus-38 advantage on the glass. Cal's plus-7.6 rebounding margin is sixth among Pac-12 teams and 67th nationally, while its 12.0 offensive rebounds per game are the third most in the conference.
• Gus Larson had the best game of his young Cal career Monday, tallying nine points, four rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 22 minutes off the bench.
• 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 four of its six remaining nonconference games away from the friendly confines of Haas Pavilion.

 
UP NEXT
The Bears will remain in San Juan Capistrano through Thanksgiving week before facing San Diego State at 4 p.m. PST Saturday in the SoCal Showcase, a neutral-site contest between the two Golden State foes held at The Pavilion.
 
STAY POSTED
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