Cal Welcomes Boston College For Home Finale
BERKELEY – The California men’s basketball team will look to snap a season-long five-game losing streak when it plays its final home game of the regular season against Boston College on Saturday night. Tipoff at Haas Pavilion is at 7 p.m. PT and the ACC contest will be televised on ESPNU.
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Saturday, March 1 | 7 p.m. PT
Location: Berkeley, California | Haas Pavilion
Watch: ESPNU | Dave Feldman (PxP) & Jerod Haase (Analyst)
Listen: 810 AM & Varsity Network App | Justin Allegri (PxP) & Theo Robertson (Analyst)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
INSIDE THE MATCHUP – CAL vs. BOSTON COLLEGE
Series record: Boston College leads 3-0
Cal (12-16, 5-12 ACC) has lost all three meetings with Boston College (12-16, 4-13) dating back to 1987.
The programs most recently clashed in the Al Attles Classic at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Dec. 21, 2019, when the Eagles won 64-60. Cal was scheduled to play at Boston College on Dec. 22, 2020, but the game was canceled due to travel precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cal and Boston College have plenty to play for Saturday, as the top 15 squads in the 18-team ACC qualify for the conference tournament. The Bears reside in 15th place and lead 16th-place Boston College by one game.
The Eagles are winless (0-8) in true road games this season; all eight contests have been against ACC foes.
STARTING FIVE
1. Thank You, Seniors
Cal will honor five upperclassmen – Jovan Blacksher Jr., Matt Desler, Gus Larson, Mady Sissoko and Christian Tucker – prior to Saturday’s game against Boston College. Fans are encouraged to arrive early at Haas Pavilion ahead of the on-court senior ceremony, which will start at approximately 6:35 p.m. PT.
2. Jeremiah’s Ascent
Jeremiah Wilkinson continues to establish himself as one of the most dynamic freshmen to put on a Golden Bear uniform. The left-hander is second among ACC freshmen in scoring (14.8 PPG) and has averaged 20.4 PPG since cracking the starting lineup 10 games ago on Jan. 22. The three-time ACC Rookie of the Week has scored 20-plus points nine times, the most by a Cal freshman since Shareef Abdur-Rahim – a fellow native of the greater Atlanta area – did so 16 times in 1995-96.
With at least three games left on the schedule, Wilkinson already ranks among Cal’s top freshmen in total points (seventh, 415), scoring average (fifth, 14.8 PPG), 3-pointers made (sixth, 49), free throws made (ninth, 94) and free-throw percentage (10th, 79.0%). He needs only 28 points to move into the top five on the Bears’ freshman scoring list.
3. The Big Fella
Mady Sissoko has played his best basketball down the stretch of his final collegiate season. Cal’s big man – who has averaged 8.5 PPG on 61.3% shooting and 8.5 RPG in his past 13 games played since Jan. 8 – is tied for fifth among ACC players with 8.0 RPG in conference play and has pulled down 10-plus rebounds in five of the past nine games, including two double-double efforts. Sissoko tied a career high with 16 points in the loss to SMU on Wednesday, marking the 10th time he’s scored double figures in 27 games played this season; he did so just seven times in the first 124 games of his career at Michigan State (2020-24).
4. Find A Way
The Bears have overcome shooting woes this season by averaging an ACC-leading 17.1 free throws made per game and grabbing 13.3 offensive rebounds per game, another league-best mark. Cal’s emphasis on attacking the rim was on display in a loss to SMU on Wednesday, as the Bears scored 40 paint points, knocked down 22 free throws and added 21 second-chance points. The Bears are scoring more than 66% of their points (49.3 PPG) either in the paint or at the free throw line this season and have shot 80% or better at the line in 10 games, including eight times in conference play.
5. Dre Day
Andrej Stojakovic has been one of the ACC’s most well-rounded players for the majority of the 2024-25 campaign – he’s one of only three major-conference players averaging at least 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 blocks per game (Cooper Flagg, Duke; Johni Broome, Auburn) – but he’ll look to regain his early-season offensive form as Cal enters March.
Aside from a stellar 22-point effort on 8-of-13 shooting (4 of 5 from 3-point range) at Georgia Tech on Feb. 15, Stojakovic is averaging 9.6 PPG on 26.1% shooting in seven games since Jan. 15, in addition to missing four contests between Jan. 22-Feb. 1 due to illness and injury. The sophomore standout has scored 20-plus points 10 times this season, including six times in ACC play.
UP NEXT
Cal wraps up regular season play at Louisville (Wednesday) and Notre Dame (Saturday) next week.
SUPPORT THE BEARS
Tickets for the 2024-25 campaign can be purchased by visiting CalBears.com/Tickets, calling 800-GO-BEARS (462-3277) or emailing goldstandard@berkeley.edu. Fans can support the Golden Bears through the Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative or the California Legends Collective.