Yale Preview

Wrapping up their once in a lifetime visit to China, Cal faces a stern test against a well-coached, veteran Yale team with Ivy League Championship and NCAA Tournament aspirations.  The Bears and Bulldogs last met on Dec. 29, 2000, with Cal taking a 76-72 advantage over Yale in the not-so-legendary Golden Bear Classic in Berkeley.  Cal leads the all-time series, 2-0.

Yale

The Bulldogs are coming off a solid 16-win season and third place Ivy League finish in 2017-18.  They return all five starters, including three seniors, and 95% of their offensive production from last season, a number which might actually be a bit misleading given they also get back Jordan Bruner, who missed all of 2017-18 with an injury.  Bruner, a 6’9”/210 sophomore, averaged 8.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in 22.4 mpg as a freshman in 2016-17. His return bolsters an already solid frontline. 

Yale’s star is Miye Oni, a unanimous All-Ivy selection last season.  The 6’6”/210 Junior from Northridge led Yale in scoring (15.1 ppg), rebounding (6.0 ppg) and assists (105). Oni finished in the top-10 in the Ivy League in most statistical categories, including scoring (9th), rebounding (5th), assists (5th), 3-pointers made (7th, 2.0 per game), blocked shots (10th, 0.8 per game), and minutes played (10th, 32.8).  He will be trouble for the Golden Bears, particularly since they will be missing their defensive stopper, Juhwan Harris-Dyson, who is out with a finger injury.  Look for Harris-Dyson to return to action next week in Berkeley.  The Oni/Harris-Dyson matchup would have been a fun one to watch.

Trey Phills, a 6’2”/185 senior and third-year starter, runs the show. Phills was second team All-Ivy selection last season, and one of five Bulldogs to appear in all 31 games, starting 26.  He was fifth in the Ivy League in field goal percentage (.520) while averaging 13.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in 14 Ivy games, which were both second on the team.  He can also defend, as evidenced by being the recipient of Yale’s George McReynolds Award as the team's top defender - the second straight year he won that award.

Alex Copeland is the other backcourt senior.  The 6’3”/175 pounder finished second in the Ivy League in free throw percentage (.867) and 10th in steals (1.1) per game.  He started 25 of the 30 games in which he appeared.  Shot 95.5 percent (42-of-44) from the free throw line in Ivy games, including his final 36 free throws of the season. He was second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg.), assists (82) and steals (32). 

Blake Reynolds is yet another senior.  The 6’7”/240 bruiser can score inside and out.  Reynolds appeared in 30 games last season, starting 28.  He finished 10th in the Ivy League in rebounding (5.5 rpg.), and was third on the team in scoring, averaging 10.7 per game.  Has terrific hands and a great feel for the game, as evidenced by finishing third on the team in assists (73) and steals (28).  He can shoot it: in 2016-17 he was second on the team with 41 three-pointers.  Numbers from behind the arc dipped slightly last season, but not by much.

Rounding out Yale’s top-six is Paul Atkinson, a 6’10”/220 F/C from West Palm Beach, Florida. As a freshman last season, Atkinson led the Ivy League in field goal percentage (.692) and was sixth in the league in offensive rebounds (1.7 per game).  He was one of five players to appear in all 31 games... Started 30 games, the most of any newcomer.  He was the third leading first year scorer in the league (9.3 ppg.).

The Bears will need to be aware of Azar Swain at all times.  The 6’0”/185 sophomore from Brockton, Massachusetts is one of only five players to appear in all 31 games.  He finished 11th in the Ivy League in three-point field goal percentage (.391) and was second on the team with 54 three-pointers.  He averaged 7.5 points with a season high of 18 in Yale’s home win over Princeton.

Finally, look for Yale’s two top recruits, 3-star 6’7”/205 SF Isaiah Kelly and 6’5”/180 3-star SG Mattheu Cotton, to get some time.  Both can score, albeit probably not yet at this level, particularly on such a veteran team.

Things To Watch For

Paris Austin gets a nice test right out of the gates.  He and Phills will push and challenge each other all night.  Will be terrific to see Paris in live action after last season’s redshirt.  Expect Cal’s assist-to-turnover ratio, ball movement, on-court organization and overall spirit to be much improved over last season with Austin in charge.

Darius McNeill absolutely must have a big night.  The sophomore has looked a bit unsteady in his transition off the ball.  Needs to keep it simple, be aggressive, come out firing and attacking.  Anything like Cal-State East Bay and the Bears are in trouble.

Matt Bradley should flourish in this one.  Bradley was terrific in the exhibition game and word is he was similarly productive in Cal's scrimmage against UNLV in Cal’s.  Yale does not have tremendous size or athleticism, so Bradley should be at ease in the mid-range and getting to the rack.  Would like to see him hit one from behind the arc.

Justice Sueing was active and aggressive in the exhibition game, and that will have to continue.  The matchups work well for him here.  He is too big for Oni, too athletic and skilled for Reynolds to contain.  Like Bradley, look for Sueing to perform well in China. 

I liked how Jacobi Gordon played in the exhibition.  Came out firing, hit some jumpers, opened up the court.  Yale will make him work defensively, which could be a problem for the youngster, as it is for most freshman.  Hearing good things about his play in practice over in China.  Let’s see if it translates to the real action.

Cal’s frontcourt needs to stay out of foul trouble.  Andre Kelly was active in the exhibition game, showing off a variety of skills.  He was in foul trouble against UNLV, and that can’t happen against Yale.  Needs to stay on the court, play 20-25 minutes.  He will be tested by the savvy Reynolds, but should be able to do some things against Atkinson.  Look for Connor Vanover to play 8-10 minutes, during which time the Bears will be in their zone.  Vanover needs to stay home, block and alter shots, cause trouble, and rebound.  Some offense would be a bonus here, although he should be able to get a few off of Atkinson.  Grant Anticevich worked hard on his body and his game over the summer, as chronicled on BearInsider.  Looked stronger and more athletic against East Bay, and his play included a nice dunk and long jumper.  Can’t be shy against Yale.  He will get some minutes, needs to be productive during them, make an impact.  Can’t simply be on the floor. 

LAST TIME OUT

• The Result: Cal topped CSU East Bay, 82-62, in an exhibition at Haas Pavilion on Tuesday, Oct. 30
• Five Golden Bears scored in double figures, led by Matt Bradley’s 18 points.
• Justice Sueing and Paris Austin added 15 points apiece, and Andre Kelly and Jacobi Gordon had 11 points each.
• Sueing and Kelly had a team-high 7 rebounds.
• Austin logged 8 of Cal’s 12 total assists.
• Two freshmen earned starts in the opener - Bradley and Kelly.
• Cal shot 61.5 percent (16-26) in the second half, and 54.9 percent (28-51) for the game.
• Juhwan Harris-Dyson did not play due to a hand injury, and Roman Davis missed the game while awaiting an NCAA waiver.  Harris-Dyson will miss this one, as well.  As will Davis, who did not travel with the team to China.

CAL IN CHINA

• As the flagship event of Pac-12 Global, the Pac-12 China Game includes more than just a basketball game. Among some of the major items on this week’s itinerary for the Bears are: 
     - A visit to the Alibaba campus, one of the world’s largest online retailers
    - An educational sports summit featuring James Zhao, Cal women’s basketball’s Chen Yue and Golden Bear Great Shareef Abdur-Rahim
    - Interaction with the Yao Foundation of Hope School students at Shanghai Disneyland
    - Educational sightseeing and walking tours to China’s historic landmarks
• Along with the cultural and competitive highlights for the Bears this week, the trip involves:
     - 28 hours, 21 min spent on a plane
    - 14,291 miles flown
    - 5 scheduled study hall sessions
    - 4 arenas to practice in (Concordia International School, Huanglong Stadium, Hangzhou International School and Baoshan Sports Centre)
    - 2 major cities: Hangzhou and Shanghai
    - 2 bullet train rides

CAL’S MOBILE CLASSROOM

• While the Golden Bears are in Shanghai this week, they’ll also have an opportunity to earn one unit of credit from UC Berkeley through a “One Week in China: Travel Writing, Cultural Exploration and Self Discovery” class facilitated by Dr, Derek Van Rheenen. 
• Teammate James (Tianjian) Zhao will also contribute as a teaching assistant, offering up a Mandarin word or phrase of the day and helping the class with interpretation.
• The goal of the course is to combine art, reading, writing, observation and reflection in a travel journal to help illustrate and record the trip.
• Among some of the course’s requirements are: reading assignments, including David Sedaris’ “Journey Into Night” and Theroux’s “Sailing Through China” and writing assignments challenging each student-athlete’s observations of their new surroundings and of themselves. 

WELL-TRAVELED

• The Bears’ nonconference schedule includes more than 18,000 miles of travel. 
• The bulk of Cal’s nonconference travel comes in a 20-day span between roundtrip travel to China (Nov. 2-10) and Brooklyn, N.Y. (Nov. 16-21). Other stops away from Haas Pavilion include Fresno, Calif. and a trip through the Caldecott Tunnel to face Saint Mary’s.
• No other team in the nation will travel more during their nonconference slate than Cal.