No. 11 Arizona Basketball goes for Regular Season sweep over Cal
TUCSON, AZ – Looking to get the regular season sweep over Cal, No. 11 Arizona Basketball (15-5, 6-3) returns to action against the Golden Bears (8-12, 4-5).
Despite a tough loss to Oregon State last week, No. 11 Arizona Basketball rebounded in a big way by getting a huge win over Oregon in Eugene on Saturday afternoon.
However, that is now all in the past as the Wildcats resume Pac-12 play against Cal, and look to earn the regular season sweep against the Golden Bears.
Coming in, Arizona is heavily favored once again! The Cal Golden Bears have struggled quite a bit this season, and while they may be one of the more inferior teams in this conference this season, the Wildcats cannot afford to overlook them.
Arizona needs to be focused and ready to go from the tip, and should they handle business like they are supposed to, this one really shouldn't close! Hopefully, the Cats bring the intensity in this one!
Getting to know the details about Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Cal Golden Bears.
Team: Cal Golden Bears
Conference: Pac-12 Conference
Current Record: 8–12 (4–5)
Head Coach: Mark Madsen. A graduate of Stanford, Coach Madsen enters his 1st season as head coach of the Golden Bears where he has compiled a 8–12 (4–5) record.
Before Cal, Mark was at Utah Valley from 2019-23 where he compiled a 70–51 (39–25) record with an NIT Semifinals appearance last season. Overall, Madsen is 78–63 as a head coach.
2022-23 Record: Finishing the 2022-23 season with an abysmal 3–29 (2–18) record, the Golden Bears replaced previous head coach Mark Fox with Mark Madsen.
So, as Arizona Basketball takes on Cal, here is how you can watch and follow our Wildcats!
Arizona Basketball vs Cal Information and Details:
Date: Thursday, February 1, 2024
Time: 6:30 P.M. MST / 5:30 P.M. PST
Television: Pac-12 Network
Location: McKale Center – Tucson, AZ (14,545)
Spread: -17.5 Arizona. (Don’t forget to sign up with Caesars Sportsbook or DraftKings to enhance your overall betting experience)
Overall Series Record: 74-30 Arizona. Having an extensive and competitive history together, the Wildcats have dominated this head-to-head matchup, winning the last 14 straight, including 18 of the last 19 meetings.
Last Meeting: Arizona walloped the Golden Bears in Berkeley back in December, coming away with the lopsided, 100-81 win.
Arizona Basketball Game Preview:
Arizona got back on track with a big win over Oregon on Saturday, and with good timing too as the Wildcats lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Oregon State Beavers just days before. And following a wild week of basketball action, Arizona returns to the hardwood to take on Cal in Tucson.
The Wildcats got the win in Berkeley back in December, and they did so by attacking the Bears at the rim and pushing the tempo. And coming into this one, Arizona should once again have the advantage; however, as we've learned this year, the Wildcats aren't perfect, and you know the Golden Bears are going to give the Cats a fight.
To beat Cal, Arizona will need to key in on slowing down Cal's top scorers which include Jaylon Tyson, Fardaws Aimaq, and Jalen Cone. Together, they form a formidable scoring trio, and should they get hot, look out.
Beyond them, Cal is not a particularly great team; however, they do have several athletes and they can score well. So far, the Golden Bears are averaging 75.5 points per game on the season and are shooting 43.0 percent from the field, including 33.9 percent from three.
While Arizona should have the advantage overall, we expect the Golden Bears will try to slow this game down a little bit and play to its strengths. For Arizona to win, it will have to push the tempo, take care of the basketball, and stick to its game. Do that, and they should win handily.
Hopefully, the Wildcats will be ready to go in this one! Tip-off for Thursday's game against Cal is set for 6:30 P.M. Tucson time, and the game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network.
Next. The five most interesting games on Arizona Football's 2024 schedule. The five most interesting games on Arizona Football's 2024 schedule. dark
Don’t forget to follow us at @ZonaZealots on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of Arizona news, opinions, and recruiting updates!