Cal Preview Box: Bears Host Oregon in Bears' Final Regular-Season Game
CAL (8-18, 3-16 Pac-12) vs. OREGON (15-5, 10-4 Pac-12)
WHERE: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, Calif.
WHEN: Saturday, 1 p,m. Pacific time
TV: Pac-12 Networks
RADIO: 810-AM
VIDEO ABOVE: Cal coach Mark Fox talks about injuries and fatigue
CAL-OREGON HISTORY: Cal leads the alltime series 84-65, but Oregon has won the past eight meetings and 10 of the past 11. Cal has lost to Oregon the past three times they met in Berkeley, with the Bears last home win coming in 2016. This is the second game between Cal and Oregon this season, with Oregon winning the first encounter 82-69 on Dec. 31 in Eugene, Oregon.
CAL STORYLINES: Saturday is Cal’s final regular-season game before the Pac-12 tournament and its last home game of the season. However, the Bears will not have a traditional senior day, because it’s possible that none of the current players will be playing his final college game. Senior Grant Anticevich and grad transfer Makale Foreman have already declared that they will take advantage of the extra year provided by this COVID-influenced season to return next season, and grad transfer Ryan Betley has yet to decide whether he will be back in 2021-22. . . Cal has lost its past three games, including a 59-57 home loss to Oregon State on Thursday . . . The Bears are currently in last place in the Pac-12, but can finish in a tie for 11th if they beat Oregon and Washington loses to Arizona on Saturday . . . Matt Bradley leads the Bears in scoring (18.7) and ranks third in the Pac-12 in points per game. He has scored 20 points or more 11 times, but the Bears won only two of those games. He had 20 points in Thursday’s loss, but committed a turnover when hurrying downcourt to try to get off a shot in the closing seconds of the two-point defeat . . . Cal was just 2-for-17 on three-point shots against Oregon State and ranks 11th in three-point percentage (32.3) . . . The Bears rank last in the Pac-12 in scoring (65.4), and 10th in scoring defense (69.8)
OREGON STORYLINES: The Ducks need a win to solidify their chances of earning a berth in the NCAA tournament. If selections were made today, Oregon would probably be in the 68-team field . . . Oregon has three more regular-season games scheduled after Saturday’s game at Cal. Next week, the Ducks will face Arizona, UCLA and Oregon State as they try to make up as many postponed games as possible . . . Oregon is in third place in the Pac-12 standings, virtually tied with Colorado and two games behind first-place UCLA . . . Oregon has won six of its past seven games, including a 71-68 victory at Stanford on Thursday, when the Cardinal played without Oscar da Silva . . . The Ducks have been more successful since guard Will Richardson returned eight games ago after missing most of the season with a hand injury . . . Chris Duarte leads the team in scoring (17.2) and he had 24 points in Thursday’s win. . . . In Oregon’s victory over Cal earlier this season, Eugene Omoruyi scored 26 points and Duarte added 19. The Ducks forced Cal into 17 turnovers in that game. . . Oregon averages 73.2 points per game.
CAL GAME NOTES: Click here
OREGON STATISTICS: Click here
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Cover photo of Chris Duarte by Neville E. Guard, USA TODAY Sports
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