Cal Continues Road Swing at Georgia Tech

ATLANTA – The California men’s basketball team’s third East Coast trip of the season concludes Saturday at Georgia Tech. The ACC contest tips off at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET at McCamish Pavilion and will be broadcast on ACC Network and 810 AM.

GAME INFORMATION

Date & Time: Saturday, Feb. 15 | 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET

Location: Atlanta, Georgia | McCamish Pavilion

Watch: ACC Network | Joel Godett (PxP), Michael Carter-Williams (Analyst)

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

Live Stats: Statbroadcast

INSIDE THE MATCHUP – CAL vs. GEORGIA TECH

Series record: Cal leads, 3-0

Cal (12-13, 5-9 ACC) has lost two straight games, most recently a 78-57 defeat at No. 3 Duke on Wednesday.

The Yellow Jackets (12-13, 6-8) have won three straight home games and are 5-2 in ACC play at McCamish Pavilion, including a 60-52 win over Stanford on Wednesday and a 77-70 win against then-No. 21 Louisville.

All three games played between Cal and Georgia Tech have been in the state of California, including a pair in the Bay Area in 1950.

The programs last clashed at the 2012 DirecTV Classic in Anaheim. Justin Cobbs (17 points), Allen Crabbe (13) and Richard Solomon (12) scored double figures to lead Cal to a 68-57 win.

STARTING FIVE

1. Hometown Kid

Saturday’s game at Georgia Tech will be a homecoming for Cal freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who hails from Powder Springs, Georgia, located roughly 25 miles west of Atlanta. Wilkinson – Cal’s first high school signee under Mark Madsen in November 2023 – continues to ascend as one of the most dynamic freshmen to put on a Golden Bear uniform. The left-hander is second among ACC freshmen in scoring (14.0 points per game) and has taken it up a notch since being inserted into the starting lineup seven games ago, averaging 20.0 PPG in that span. The three-time ACC Rookie of the Week has scored 20-plus points 12 times in 14 conference games, including 21 points in Cal’s two most recent games against Wake Forest and at No. 3 Duke.

2. Up For The Challenge

The Bears face a tough six-game stretch to finish regular-season play with four games on the road and three against teams currently placed among the top six in the ACC standings (Stanford, 6th; SMU, 4th; Louisville, T2nd). Cal will look to secure its third road win of the season Saturday at Georgia Tech before returning to the Bay Area to play at Stanford (Feb. 22) and host SMU (Feb. 26) in consecutive games.

3. Back In The Saddle

Cal’s leading scorer Andrej Stojakovic (17.5 PPG, sixth in ACC) returned to action last week following a four-game absence (injury/illness) between Jan. 22-Feb. 1. The sophomore guard – who has scored 20-plus points nine times this season and was averaging 20.3 PPG prior to Jan. 15 – hasn’t found his scoring rhythm since returning (8.6 PPG, 25.6 FG%) but remains one of only four power-conference players in the country to average at least 17.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per game this season (Maxime Raynaud, Stanford; Cooper Flagg, Duke; Johni Broome, Auburn).

4. Attack The Rim

Cal is scoring more than 66% of its points either in the paint or at the free throw line this season, signaling an emphasis on getting to the rim. The Bears lead the ACC (20th nationally) with 17.1 free throws made per game and have shot 80% or better at the line in nine games, including seven times in conference play. They’re averaging 31.9 paint points per game as well, having posted 40-plus paint points five times, most recently in back-to-back wins against Florida State and Miami (Jan. 22-25).

5. No Quit

The Bears also lead the ACC (34th nationally) with 13.2 offensive rebounds per game, a number fueled by the trio of Mady Sissoko (2.83 ORPG, fifth in ACC), Rytis Petraitis (2.48 ORPG) and Lee Dort (2.08 ORPG). Cal has grabbed double-figure offensive rebounds in 21 of 25 games this season – including an ACC single-game best 24 vs. Florida State. Petraitis has ramped up his effort on the offensive glass during ACC play with 3.1 boards per game (43 total in 14 games); the do-it-all Bear also leads Cal in assists (26) and is second in steals (15) in conference action.

UP NEXT

Cal clashes with rival Stanford next Saturday, Feb. 22, at Maples Pavilion. The contest will be televised on ESPN2.

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.