BERKELEY – The California men's basketball team begins its final Pac-12 Conference slate Friday night when it hosts No. 4 Arizona at Haas Pavilion. The action gets underway at 7:30 p.m. PST on the Pac-12 Network.
 
It's a basketball doubleheader in Berkeley on Friday as the Cal women will host No. 9 Stanford at 2 p.m. in the 100th Battle of the Bay.
 
GAME INFORMATION

• Date & Time: Friday, Dec. 29 | 7:30 p.m. PST
• Location: Berkeley, California | Haas Pavilion
• Watch: Pac-12 Network | Guy Haberman (PxP) & Don MacLean (Analyst)
• Listen: 810 AM & The Varsity Network App | Justin Allegri (PxP) & Theo Robertson (Analyst)
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Fourth-ranked Arizona (9-2) has won 13 consecutive meetings with Cal dating back to March 3, 2016. The Bears' most recent victory against Arizona was a 74-73 thriller on Jan. 23, 2016 in Berkeley. The last time Cal defeated a top-five-ranked (AP) team was on Feb. 1, 2014 when it knocked off No. 1 Arizona 60-58 in Berkeley on Justin Cobbs' game winner with 0.9 seconds remaining.
 
The Wildcats have ranked as high as No. 1 nationally this season, besting ranked foes in Duke, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Their two losses have come in the past three games against then-No. 3 Purdue (Dec. 16) and then-No. 14 Florida Atlantic (Dec. 23), the latter a double-overtime contest in Las Vegas.
 
LAST TIME
Fardaws Aimaq had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Jalen Cone scored 15 points on five 3-pointers and Cal had a 26-point lead erased before rallying to defeat UC San Diego 71-67 on Dec. 20 in Berkeley. Aimaq threw down an alley-oop dunk off an assist by Jaylon Tyson to give Cal a 65-61 lead and after Emmanuel Tshimanga brought it back to a one-possession game with two free throws for UC San Diego, Jalen Celestine answered with a 3-pointer for a five-point lead. The Tritons (6-6) pulled back within one point, 68-67, with 22 seconds left before Keonte Kennedy hit two free throws for a 70-67 lead. Tyler McGhie was short on a 3-pointer for UCSD on the following possession and Celestine sealed the Bears' win by making 1 of 2 free throws.
 
Cal scored the opening 10 points of the game and extended its lead to 21-2, making its first seven field goals and 8 of 9. The Bears took their biggest lead of the game at 34-8 after a 9-0 run that was keyed by one of Celestine's three 3-pointers. UC San Diego scored 21 of the first 27 points of the second half to get within 50-48. Cal went without a point for over five minutes, missing six straight shots, during UCSD's 14-0 run. The Tritons took their first lead of the game at 56-55 on Bryce Pope's deep 3-pointer with 8:55 remaining.
 
NOTEWORTHY

• Cal is averaging 76.0 points per game this season, an 11.7-point increase from its 64.3 PPG average over the previous six seasons (2017-23). It's a 17.7-point jump from last season's average of 58.3 PPG.
• The Bears lead the Pac-12 in 3-point makes (9.0) and attempts (25.9) per game, shooting 34.7% from beyond the arc. They averaged just 4.9 makes and 16.4 attempts per game last season, both ranking last in the conference. Jalen Cone has fueled Cal's 3-point volley, ranking fifth nationally with 3.73 makes from deep. He's matched his career high in 3-pointers made (7) three times this season and is one of just three players in the country with three games of seven or more made 3-pointers.
• Fardaws Aimaq's eight double-doubles pace the Pac-12 and are tied for third nationally. The big man's rebounding prowess – he leads the Pac-12 in all rebounding categories, including rebounds per game (10.7) – has played a key role in Cal winning the battle on the glass eight times in 11 games.
• Keonte Kennedy's impact has been felt since he made his Cal debut on Dec. 2. He's played an average of 37.8 minutes while starting all four games and has averaged 12.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals per contest. He owns an 18-to-5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Devin Askew returned to the court on Dec. 20 after missing the previous seven games with a foot injury. Askew has averaged 7.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 2.5 APG over an average of 27.5 minutes across four games.
• Cal is the only Pac-12 team with two players that rank in the top 10 of the conference in points per game and rebounds per game. Tyson – who has scored 20-plus points six times, including four of the past six games – is fourth in PPG (19.4) and seventh in RPG (7.0) while Aimaq is fifth in PPG (16.9) and first in RPG (10.7).
• Eight of Cal's 11 games have been decided by nine points or fewer.
• The Bears' last win against a nationally-ranked squad (AP) was Feb. 27, 2020 vs. No. 21 Colorado (76-62) in Berkeley.
• Mark Madsen has defeated one nationally-ranked team as a collegiate head coach; he led Utah Valley to a win over then-No. 12 BYU on Dec. 1, 2021.
   

UP NEXT
Cal closes the 2023 calendar year against Arizona State at 5 p.m. Sunday in Berkeley. The New Year's Eve tilt will air on the Pac-12 Network.
 
STAY POSTED
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