California @ Arizona preview
McKale Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 13, 2020 ) Arizona 68, California 52
Arizona's arduous stretch of four games in nine days, with coach Sean Miller trying to work through injuries and player fatigue, concludes Saturday with California visiting for a Pac-12 game in Tucson, Ariz.
The Wildcats lost to Stanford 73-64 on Thursday, suffering their first season sweep to the Cardinal in 13 years, with a depleted backcourt that is relying heavily on James Akinjo and Terrell Brown Jr.
Bennedict Mathurin played 26 minutes off the bench despite suffering what appeared to be a serious right ankle sprain against Arizona State on Monday. He had 10 points.
The Wildcats (12-4, 6-4 Pac-12) are playing without guard Jemarl Baker Jr. for the rest of the season after he suffered a season-ending wrist injury against UCLA on Jan. 9.
Akinjo (35 minutes against Stanford) and Brown (37) had uncharacteristic turnover problems against Stanford, combining for nine of the team's 18.
"We are beaten up," Miller said. "We looked like a team that wasn't as ready as we needed to be. We weren't a functioning group in any phase of the game: turnovers, defense, scouting (and) execution."
Meanwhile Cal (7-11, 2-9) appeared energized against Arizona State on Thursday in a 72-68 loss that marked the return of Matt Bradley to the starting lineup for the first time in nearly a month.
Bradley, who missed five games earlier this month with injuries, produced 26 points and 10 rebounds against the Sun Devils. He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection a year ago as a sophomore.
"Matt's not the Matt Bradley everyone saw a year ago," Golden Bears coach Mark Fox said. "He's had injuries to both legs. He just doesn't have the same legs he had a year ago. Eventually he will. Right now, he doesn't.
"I thought he played super-hard. A lot of those things he's always finished didn't quite go in tonight. He's a little bit out of rhythm and still got to get some conditioning back."
California forward Andre Kelly contributed 16 points and a career-best 13 rebounds against the Sun Devils for his first double-double of the season.
With Arizona's guard play stretched thin, matching up with the strong Bradley (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) is a concern for the Wildcats.
Miller will count on his interior players to provide support. Azuolas Tubelis and Jordan Brown were ineffective against Stanford, combining for nine points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field. They combined for nine rebounds and four turnovers.
--Field Level Media