Time: 6:00 PM PST/9:00 PM EST
TV: FSN
Radio: KFRC 1550 AMStreams: Check the comments
When UCLA beat Arizona yesterday I'm guessing most Cal fans were split between excitement at the chance to end UCLA's season and fear of another gut punch loss. When Cal lost to UCLA in early January, lots of things went wrong. Jorge was out with an injury. The Bears turned it over 17 times. Nobody could make a 3 pointer. Dragovic and Roll got hot from behind the arc. All of this resulted in a 1 point overtime loss. When the teams met again in Westwood Cal more or less solved each of those problems and won by 14.
The Bears are playing their best basketball of the season at the right time - they're riding a five game winning streak with an average margin of victory of about 15 points. But UCLA is playing essentially a home game, needs a win to preserve their season and may have a sizable student presence at the game. Kenpom predicts a 10 point win with an 83% chance of victory, but I won't be confident until Cal has a lead and the clock says 0:00.
Keys to the game? Reeves Nelson returned from an eye injury to absolutely abuse Derrick Williams and Arizona yesterday, and his play was a major factor in UCLA's previous victory over the Bears. If Boykin, MSF and Amoke can contain him Cal will stand a great chance. Beyond that the game will come down to the usual suspects: shoot well and get out on UCLA's 3 point shooters.
Go Bears!