ACC Action Returns To Haas
BERKELEY – The California men’s basketball team plays its first home game in more than three weeks when it welcomes Virginia to Haas Pavilion on Wednesday night. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. PT and ESPNU will televise the ACC contest.
The Golden Bears (7-7, 0-3 ACC) are still seeking their first conference win after dropping an early season contest to Stanford on Dec. 7, followed by losses at Pitt and Clemson last week. Virginia (8-6, 1-2) notched its first ACC victory against NC State on New Year’s Eve but is coming off a 70-50 home loss to Louisville last Saturday.
GAME INFORMATION
Date & Time: Wednesday, Jan. 8 | 8 p.m. PT
Location: Berkeley, California | Haas Pavilion
Watch: ESPNU | Roxy Bernstein (PxP) & Jerod Haase (Analyst)
Listen: 810 AM & Varsity Network App | Justin Allegri (PxP) & Theo Robertson (Analyst)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
INSIDE THE MATCHUP – CAL vs. CLEMSON
Series record: Virginia leads, 2-0
The Bears and Cavaliers meet for the first time as ACC foes.
Virginia won both games of a home-and-home series in 2015 and 2016, besting Cal 63-61 in overtime on Dec. 22, 2015, in Charlottesville, followed by a 56-52 contest in Berkeley on Dec. 21, 2016.
Virginia’s win in Berkeley in 2016 snapped Cal’s school-record 27-game home winning streak.
The Cavaliers are 1-4 away from home this season, including 0-2 in true road games at then-No. 13 Florida and SMU.
STARTING FIVE
1. Dre Day
Andrej Stojakovic has emerged as one of the top offensive threats in the ACC in his first season as a Golden Bear, ranking second in the conference and 18th nationally with 19.9 points per game. The sophomore guard is also averaging a league-leading 24.7 PPG in ACC play through three games – 25 vs. Stanford (Dec. 7), 19 at Pitt (Jan. 1) and 30 at Clemson (Jan. 4). Stojakovic does much more than score for the Bears; he’s the only player in the country to average at least 19.9 PPG, 4.5 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists per game and 1.2 blocks per game. He’s made dramatic improvements since transferring to Cal from rival Stanford, particularly in scoring (7.8 to 19.9 PPG), rebounding (3.4 to 4.5 RPG), blocks (0.1 to 1.2 BPG) and shooting splits (.409/.327/.528 to .463/.368/.828).
2. Back In Haas
The Bears will play on their home court for the first time in 2025 and for the first time since an 84-66 win over Northwestern State on Dec. 14 when they clash with the Cavaliers Wednesday night. Cal is 12-4 at home since the top of the 2024 calendar year, including a 6-2 mark this season with a 9.3 scoring margin in such games.
3. This Way Or That Way
Cal can generate points in a hurry with 77.8 points per game and has proven it can put the ball in the hoop in a variety of ways. Cal is averaging 33.4 points per game in the paint, 23.8 points from 3-point range and 17.6 points at the free throw line. An emphasis on getting to the rim has resulted in the Bears scoring more than 65% of their points in the paint or at the free throw line, but they’re dangerous from deep as well, ranking fourth in the ACC at 35.9% from 3-point range. Cal has knocked down 10 or more 3-pointers four times in the past eight contests.
4. Agent Zero
Freshman Jeremiah Wilkinson is making the most of his early opportunities in Cal’s rotation, averaging 16.5 PPG with nine double-figure scoring efforts in the past 10 games. Wilkinson, who scored 24 at Pitt last Wednesday, ranks fourth among ACC freshmen with 12.6 PPG on the season while averaging the fewest minutes played per game (20.8) of the five ACC rookies who are averaging double-figure points. The Georgia native is shooting 58.5% on 2-point attempts and can catch fire from deep with multiple 3-point makes in six games (33.9 3FG%).
5. The Floor General
Jovan Blacksher Jr. broke out of a shooting slump with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting (3 of 6 from deep) at Clemson last Saturday. The graduate guard poured 13 of those 15 in the second half, helping keep Cal close an eventual 80-68 road loss. Blacksher has guided Cal’s offense with a steady hand this season – he leads the team in assists (3.4 APG) – but has struggled scoring of late, shooting 0-of-12 from the floor in the previous two contests. Blacksher is third on the team with 12.0 PPG and is best among Bears with a 40.3% 3-point clip.
UP NEXT
Cal faces Virginia Tech for the first time in more than 30 years Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is at 3 p.m. PT in Haas Pavilion with a televised broadcast on ACC Network.