By Don Phillips
Oregon Ducks at California Golden Bears
Date: Feb. 11 | 9:00 PM ET
Venue: Haas Pavilion
Location: Berkeley, Calif.
TV: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch, Bill Walton)
Radio: KSFO 560 AM (Todd McKim, Jay John)
Radio Westwood One (Kevin Kugler, Mike Montgomery)
Sirius/XM Radio: 81/81
The Golden Bears are a perfect 14-0 in Berkeley this year, having most recently downed Stanford, 76-61. Cal owns victories over a pair of ranked opponents with a 71-58 decision over No. 21/22 Utah and a 74-73 result against No. 12/11 Arizona from January.
In last Saturday’s win over Stanford, a pair of Bears recorded career highs. Junior Sam Singer, starting his fifth game in place of an injured Tyrone Wallace, dished out a personal-best nine assists against just two turnovers. And sophomore center Kameron Rooks came off the bench for a career-high 11 points and tying a personal record of 12 rebounds.
Overall, freshman Jaylen Brown continues to pace the squad with 15.8 ppg. He’s had at least 15 points in each of his past five games and poured in a team-high 20 in the first meeting with Oregon this season. Freshman Ivan Rabb leads Cal in rebounding (8.4 rpg), blocks (29), field goal shooting (62.1%) and double doubles (8). On the outside, junior Jordan Mathews is connecting on 44.9 percent of his 3-point attempts, including 49.4 percent at home.
Cal continues to lead the Pac-12 in both field goal percentage defense (38.8 percent) and scoring defense (66.7 ppg). The Bears last paced the Pac-12 in scoring defense during the 1996-97 campaign (67.8 ppg), while the Golden Bears’ most recent time on top of the league in field goal percentage defense was in 2012-13 (39.3%). Nationally, Cal is No. 1 in terms of 2-point field goal percentage defense at 39.8 percent, just head of San Diego State’s 39.9 percent.
With a 14-0 record inside Haas Pavilion, Cal enters the week trailing only Louisville (15-1) for most home court victories over Division I opponents this year. The Bears are tied in the No. 2 position with Oregon, USC and Saint Mary’s (both Oregon and Saint Mary’s have an addition non-Division I home win).
Oregon enters tonight’s game having won six in a row and nine of its last 10 contests. Last week, the Ducks defeated Colorado (76-56) and Utah (76-66) in Eugene.
Dillon Brooks leads four players averaging in double figures with 16.9 ppg. He’s coming off a 30-point, 9-assist game vs. Utah. Chris Boucher leads the country with 3.38 blocks per game.
Oregon is 3-2 in Pac-12 road games with wins over Utah, Arizona and Arizona State and losses at Oregon State and Colorado.
Cal leads the series with Oregon, 83-57. The Ducks took the first game between the schools this season, 68-65, in Eugene. Jaylen Brown led the Bears with 20 points, while Ivan Rabb added 17.
The best offshore sportsbook has the Golden Bears a 1-point home dog with no total set at this time. Visit America’s Bookie for up to the second lines for this game and all the NCAA Basketball action leading up to and including March Madness.
Selection: California
