Cal Basketball: Bears Try to Stay Unbeaten as UNLV Visits on Tuesday night

Bears, Runnin Rebels have not met since the 2013 NCAA tournament

CAL (1-0) vs. UNLV (1-1)

WHERE: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley

WHEN: Tuesday, 8 p.m.

TV/RADIO: Pac-12 Networks/810-AM

CAL-UNLV HISTORY: UNLV leads 5-2 alll-time, but Cal won the most recent meeting, 64-61, at the 2013 NCAA tournament in San Jose. That was UNLV’s most recent appearance in the NCAAs.

CAL STORYLINES: The Bears are aiming for a modest 2-0 start for the first time since 2016-17. Cal beat Pepperdine 87-71 in coach Mark Fox’s debut in Berkeley last Tuesday. The Bears scored as many as 87 points just four times in 63 games over the past two seasons under former coach Wyking Jones. . . . Sophomore Matt Bradley scored a career-high 25 points in the win, and the Pac-12’s most accurate 3-point shooter a year ago converted 5-of-7 from beyond the arc against the Waves. . . . Other encouraging signs: Andre Kelly had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Grant Anticevich grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds and the Bears shot 71% in the second half when they outscored Pepperdine 52-34.

UNLV STORYLINES: First-year coach T.J. Otzelberger compiled a three-year record of 70-33 at South Dakota State, earning two NCAA tournament berths. But he is replacing nine departed players at UNLV, which was picked to finish seventh in the Mountain West Conference. . . . The Rebels opened their season with an 86-71 win over Purdue-Fort Wayne, led by 6-foot-11 junior Cheikh Mbacke Diong, who had 17 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. UNLV lost 60-56 in overtime to Kansas State on Saturday, thanks in part to 25 turnovers. . . . The Rebels’ top returning player is junior guard Amauri Hardy, who averaged 13.1 points last season and had five games of at least 20 points. He scored 27 against K-State.

CAL GAME NOTES: Click here

UNLV GAME NOTES: Click here