Cal Closes Home Stand Against Northwestern State at Noon

BERKELEY – The California men’s basketball team aims to end a three-game losing streak when it hosts Northwestern State in its final home game of the 2024 calendar year Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is at noon PT at Haas Pavilion with a broadcast on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).

After racing out to a 6-1 start on the season, the Golden Bears (6-4) have hit a recent skid with losses to Missouri, Stanford and Cornell since the start of December. Northwestern State (4-5) enters Saturday’s contest riding back-to-back wins in Southland Conference play but has lost three games to high-major programs Texas Tech, Oklahoma and LSU by an average of 20.3 points.

GAME INFORMATION

Date & Time: Saturday, Dec. 14 | Noon (12 p.m.) PT

Location: Berkeley, California | Haas Pavilion

Watch: ACC Network Extra | Dave Benz (PxP) & Ben Braun (Analyst)

Listen: 810 AM & Varsity Network App | Justin Allegri (PxP)

INSIDE THE MATCHUP – CAL vs. NORTHWESTERN STATE

Series record: First meeting

The Bears last played against a Southland Conference foe when they defeated Nicholls 60-49 on Nov. 30, 2020.

Northwestern State is Cal’s third first-time nonconference opponent this season. Cal previously faced Vanderbilt (85-69 loss, Nov. 13) and Mercyhurst (81-55 win, Nov. 27) for the first time last month.

HARRY POTTER DAY

Wands at the ready – it’s Harry Potter Day at Haas Pavilion on Saturday. To celebrate the magical world of Berkeley, the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a “Haas of Pain” scarf, while the first 500 fans will also receive a wand.

STARTING FIVE

1. Finding An Early Rhythm

The Bears have put the ball in the hoop this season – their 81.3 points per game rank fourth in the ACC and would be the second most in program history – but will look to get off to a stronger start Saturday after being outscored by an average of 17 points in the first halves of the past two games. Cal rallied back from both halftime deficits – 47-31 against Stanford and 47-29 against Cornell – and even took a late lead against the Big Red after being down as many as 23, but ultimately came up short.

2. Strength In Numbers

Cal continues to rely on a deep cast, often deploying 9-10 players in its rotation despite two early-season starters – DJ Campbell and BJ Omot – missing five and six games, respectively. Eight of 10 players who appeared in Cal’s game against Cornell are averaging 14.8 minutes per game this season or more. The Bears’ bench is fourth in the ACC with 26.7 points per game, led by freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson (11.0 PPG), who was named ACC Co-Rookie of the Week on Dec. 2 after a 25-point performance against Mercyhurst.

3. Sophomore Leap

Andrej Stojakovic has emerged as Cal’s primary offensive threat in his first season as a Golden Bear, ranking second in the ACC with 18.8 points per game. The sophomore guard has already scored 20-plus points five times – during a six-game span between Nov. 17-Dec. 7 – including a career-high 26 at Missouri. Stojakovic’s growth has been evident, as he’s made multiple statistical jumps between his freshman season at Stanford and sophomore year at Cal, namely in scoring (7.8 PPG to 18.8 PPG) and rebounding (3.4 RPG to 4.9 RPG). He’s also excelled at the free throw line, shooting 81.7% (49 of 60) after making only 19 of 36 attempts (52.8%) last year at Stanford.

4. This Way Or That Way

Cal’s offense can generate points in a hurry when firing on all cylinders. The Bears are averaging 36.6 points in the paint, 24.6 points from 3-point range and 17.9 points at the free throw line per game this season, showcasing an ability to score in a variety of ways. An emphasis on getting to the rim has resulted in 67% of the Bears’ 81.3 PPG coming inside the paint or at the free throw line – Cal is fourth in the ACC and 32nd nationally in free throws made per game (17.9) – but they’ve impressed when shooting from deep, ranking third among ACC teams with a 36.9% 3-point field-goal percentage. Cal is shooting 41.4% from 3 (41 of 99) over the past four games.

5. The Floor General

Jovan Blacksher Jr. has guided the Bears’ offense with a steady hand this season, providing an outside scoring threat and a playmaking ability from the point guard position. Blacksher averaged 16.3 PPG on 51.1% shooting in the first four games of the season before he was sidelined for three games due to an injury. Since returning, the Oakland native hasn’t shot as effectively – he’s averaging 12.7 PPG on 29% shooting in three games since returning – but he has dished out the ball plenty with 5.7 assists per game during that same three-game span, including an eight-assist effort at Missouri.

UP NEXT

The Bears finish nonconference play against San Diego State next Saturday, Dec. 21, in the San Jose Tip-Off. The neutral-site contest will be played at SAP Center in San Jose and tips off at 7:30 p.m. PT on ACC Network.

HOW TO WATCH
Access to ACC Network and ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) is determined by your pay TV provider (cable, satellite, telco or streaming service). Viewers can still access games via a subscription to ESPN+, even without access to ACC Network. Viewers with access to ACCNX can view the streaming channel on the same device (smart TV's, smartphones, tablets, connected streaming devices or espn.com/watch) where they view ACC Network. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming channel that can also be viewed on any streaming device.

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.