After furd getting blown out, it doesnt look good.

If we can lock down Deivon Smith, it's like having no fuel to drive a car. He is able to do it all and has several triple doubles this season. Containing him will be huge. Utah also plays 2 big's (Keba Keita and Branden Carlson). Celestine and Aimaq will try their best to defend them. Tyson will likely have the assignment on Bajema which should be easy for him. Kennedy will probably be on Smith and Cone on Madsen (3pt specialist). It will also be interesting who Keita will be guarding. If he's on Celestine, that would be a big mismatch on the perimeter.

I always feel better when the road team CAL is playing on the weekend gets a home win in their previous wed/thrs game. I think it makes them less desperate and a bit more complacent. At least thats what I tell myself.

The Two Utes can be beaten. They got wrecked by Colorado on the road (24 point loss) and Bobby Hurley & Friends whipped them in their own gym by 8.

The lads have had a few days to get acclimated, the game is at 1,100 ft lower and Cal gets 8.5 points…..so this can only mean one thing, boys…


"It's 401(k) time All In on the Bears to cover."

barsad said:

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Though we don't have tournament bids on the line, I would call this a momentum game. If we win we can end the season with two reg season wins and glide into next year. Lose and we're guaranteed to finish sub-500 unless something incredible happens in Vegas. Would be a real psychological boost for fans and the program if we can reach .500, even if it doesn't mean much on actual outcomes.

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I think a chance at the CBI is still in play.

Yeah, but first we'd have to determine whether a 16-team bracket where you have to pay 27K just to show up could be called a tournament. Only the last three games are televised (ESPN2), unless you are a subscriber to "FloHoops"… so I'm going to say no, not a real tournament.
https://collegebasketballinvitational.com/9293-2/

Watched a scrappy 12-17 USC team dust Washington at Wash behind Collier's 31 points. If they can do that, we can beat the Utes! Go Bears!

barsad said:

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Yeah, but first we'd have to determine whether a 16-team bracket where you have to pay 27K just to show up could be called a tournament. Only the last three games are televised (ESPN2), unless you are a subscriber to "FloHoops"… so I'm going to say no, not a real tournament.
https://collegebasketballinvitational.com/9293-2/

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Oh, it is a "tournament" but whether it is worth participating in is an open question as you point out. Let's get to .500 so we have a choice. I'd leave a lot of that decision with Madsen, assuming he is not in negotiations with Stanford at the time.

barsad said:

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Watched a scrappy 12-17 USC team dust Washington at Wash behind Collier's 31 points. If they can do that, we can beat the Utes! Go Bears!

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USC is playing very well. Collier is a beast. I hope they aren't in Cal's bracket in Vegas.
They were picked very highly to start the season and had many injuries. They seem to be figuring it out.

UCLA seems to be figuring it out as well. Today they lost to WSU but that was partly due to McClendon being ejected on a flagrant 2. Now Kennedy just did the same thing (elbow to the groin) against Utah and got ejected.

Bogus flagrant call on Kennedy.

That F2 on Keonte was ridiculous, he hit the guy in the wrong place but it was not intentional. These days you have to watch where your arms are flapping.

barsad said:

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That F2 on Keonte was ridiculous, he hit the guy in the wrong place but it was not intentional. These days you have to watch where your arms are flapping.

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Terrible call. To say that was intentional to hit him in the balls is a joke. It appeared that Kennedy lost some balance as he started his dribble. He put his arm out to fend off and it went between the guys legs. No way was he trying to hit him there. What a joke.

Tyson 1-5? When can we start the Jaylon Show, that's what I'm here for.

Rebounding is a big problem

37% FG and 25% on threes, Cal is lucky to only be down 10 at half. Plenty of time to come back but we need Aimaq to do his rebounding magic and the two JCs to get going on threes. I trust Jaylon to get his 20 pts, let's go!

HoopDreams said:

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Rebounding is a big problem

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Could Curtis help?

When was the last time Daws had 1 rebound at the half?

Tyson needs to have a second half

barsad said:

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That F2 on Keonte was ridiculous, he hit the guy in the wrong place but it was not intentional. These days you have to watch where your arms are flapping.

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I hadn't seen a flagrant 2 for a long time (years?) then today I see two in half an hour.

I'm OK with the call as long as it's consistent. I don't want to see that technique every time a player thinks an opponent isn't giving him enough space.

I think so

stu said:

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HoopDreams said:

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Rebounding is a big problem

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Could Curtis help?

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Really need to tighten up our defense. Defense was very poor in the 1st half.

Golden One said:

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Really need to tighten up our defense. Defense was very poor in the 1st half.

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Utah had 10 offensive rebounds. Also we need to a better job on Carlson.

This is for 5th place

Celestine needs to assert himself like he did there

And Cal can't play 2 bigs which is killing us

Flop

Too much Carlson tonight.

Nice Larson block but he was fouled on other side

Golden One said:

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Too much Carlson tonight.

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And it doesn't help that Tyson is invisible tonight.

I'm afraid this game is over. Utah is just better than we are.

Either we start draining threes or we lose big. There's nothing inside.

stu said:

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Either we start draining threes or we lose big. There's nothing inside.

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Tyson has been shut down.

It's true, a team like Utah with two bigs really exposes Cal's inside game weakness… we'll have to get better next year on that score or the ACC will trample us.

Alkiadt said:

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stu said:

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Either we start draining threes or we lose big. There's nothing inside.

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Tyson has been shut down.

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Good plan by Utah.