NCAA basketball on Wednesday night and we will see the California Golden Bears travel to the desert to take on the Arizona Wildcats. The game has a start time of 9:00 pm (Eastern) and will be televised on ESPN 2. Vegas odds have the Wildcats listed as 12.5 point favorites, while the total sits at 133.
Analysis: The California Golden Bears have had a nice year so far, going 18-9 overall and 9-5 in the Pac-12. California has won the last 2 in this series, including winning one this year, which gave Arizona one of its two losses on the year. The Cal Bears are a solid offense team as they have averaged 74.7 ppg on 46.0 shooting. The offense is led by Justin Cobbs, who averages 15.9 ppg, while also dishing out 6.1 apg. Tyrone Wallace (11.7 ppg), David Kravish (11.4 ppg) and Richard Solomon (11.3 ppg) also score in double figures for the Bears. Solomon is the leading rebounder on the team at 10.0 rpg. On defense the Bears have allowed 69.3 ppg on just 41.5% shooting, which is 84th in the nation, but teams do shoot the 3-ball well vs them as they allow 36.2% from long range, which is 262nd in the nation.
The Arizona Wildcats come in at 25-2 on the year and 12-2 within the Pac-12. The Cats 2 losses this year have been by a combined 5 points and both were on the road. Now they are at home where they are 16-0 and have outscored teams by 21.7 ppg. The Wildcats are 72-11 at the McKale Center under Miller, including 19 straight wins. The Cats are led by their amazing defensive play, as they come in allowing just 57.9 ppg on 37.9% shooting, with both numbers ranking 5th in the nation. On offense they are a an average scoring team as they score just 73.4 ppg to rank 110th in the nation, but they are a good shooting team, hitting 46.9% of their shots to rank 55th in the nation. Nick Johnson leads the team in scoring at 16.0 ppg, while Aaron Gordon is the only other active player averaging in double figures for the Cats at 11.9 ppg. Kaleb Tarczewski, averaging 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds, had a career-high 18 points in the first meeting against the Golden Bears.
Pick: Gonna go with the Under in this game. Arizona games have gone 17-6 to the Under this year, while their last 7 Pac 12 games have gone 6-1 ton the Under and their last 51 home game shave gone 35-15-1 to the Under. Arizona home games have averaged just 129.9 ppg this year, while their Pac-12 home games have put up just 126.6 ppg. Arizona really plays a slow pace at home and great defense as well as they have allowed just 54.1 ppg on their home floor this year. The Bears have averaged 73 ppg on the road, but on just 42.5% shooting and if the Cats can hold Oregon to just 65 points on this floor then they should be able to hold the Bears to less than that here. Arizona does average 75.8 ppg at home, but just 69.5 ppg in their last 4 home games. The Bears won the earlier meeting between these teams so you can expect even more defensive intensity from the Cats in this one. The first matchup put up just 118 points and I can't see more than 125 in this one.
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