Cal Basketball: Utah Game Preview
UTAH (13-9, 4-6) at CAL (10-12, 4-5)
WHERE: Jon M. Hunstman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
WHEN: Saturday, 5 p.m.
TV/RADIO: Pac-12 Network/810-AM
CAL-UTAH HISTORY: Tied 16-16. Utah has won seven of the past 10 meetings and is 9-5 vs. the Bears in Salt Lake. Cal's most recent win at Utah was 62-57 on Jan. 24, 2013 when Allen Crabbe scored 23 points.
CAL STORYLINES: The Bears played a solid game Thursday at No. 24 Colorado, but absorbed a 71-65 loss and remain winless outside their home gym. Cal is now 0-6 on the road to go with 0-3 in neutral-site games. This will not be a “neutral” atmosphere, as Utah is second (behind Arizona) in home attendance in the Pac-12, averaging 10,730 fans per game. . . . Offense has been a problem on the road for Cal, whose 65 points at CU were a season high away from home. They shot 56 percent from the field but missed nine of their first 13 free throws. This was the eighth time this season the Bears shot 50 percent from the field, and just the second time they lost one of those games. . . . Sophomore Matt Bradley, the Bears’ leading scorer at 17.9 points per game, has scored double digits the past 16 games in a row. He has topped 20 points eight times this season. . . . Senior point guard Paris Austin has scored in double figures the past four games (13.3) and has a 12-to-6 assist-to-turnover ratio over that span.
UTAH STORYLINES: Utah snapped a two-game losing streak Thursday with a 64-56 overtime win over Stanford. Freshman Branden Carlsen was the headliner, posting 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocked shots. The 7-foot, 218-pounder averages just 6.5 points but leads the Utes with 28 blocked shots. . . . Utah is led by sophomore forward Timmy Allen (18.3 points, 7.5 rebounds), who ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring but whose numbers slide to 15.0 points and 32% field-goal shooting in conference play. A Pac-12 All-Freshman pick last season, Allen had 17 points and 12 rebounds in the Utes’ win at Cal a year ago. . . . The Utes are 9-1 at home this season, with their only loss coming at the hands of Oregon. . . . It was way back on Nov. 8, but Utah played one of the season’s craziest games in a 143-49 victory over Mississippi Valley State, scoring 70 points in each half and getting double-digit scoring from nine different players. The 94-point margin was the largest in NCAA history.
CAL GAME NOTES: Click here
UTAH GAME NOTES: Click here
