California @ Arizona State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 9, 2019 ) Arizona State 80, California 66

Junior guard Rob Edwards is peaking at the right time for Arizona State, which aims for its third straight win Saturday in a Pac-12 game against visiting California. The Cleveland State transfer is averaging 22 points over the past two contests for the Sun Devils, who hope to close out their home schedule with a victory before hitting the road for their final three regular-season games.

Edwards missed nearly a month early in the season with a back injury but has emerged as a primary scoring threat during conference play, averaging 12.2 points while shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range. “He's showing great patience on offense and he’s very efficient,” coach Bobby Hurley told reporters. “He’s made some great passes. He’s playing good defense. He’s really rounding into form.” Edwards and Remy Martin scored 16 points apiece in Wednesday’s 80-62 win over Stanford as the Sun Devils kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alive and took over sole possession of second place in the Pac-12. Hurley’s squad figures to have little trouble with the last-place Bears, who have lost a program-worst 15 straight games and are in danger of becoming just the second team to go winless in conference play since 1978-79.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT CAL (5-21, 0-14 Pac-12): Sophomore forward Justice Sueing is averaging a team-high 16.4 points in conference play for the Bears, who have lost 20 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history. Freshman center Connor Vanover was held to six points on 2-for-8 shooting in Thursday’s 76-51 loss to Arizona after averaging 12.4 points in his previous five contests. The Bears are last in the nation in field-goal percentage defense and have allowed a total of 30 3-pointers over the past two games.

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (18-8, 9-5): Freshman guard Luguentz Dort has emerged from a midseason slump with a strong surge over the past six games, averaging 16.8 points while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc. Senior forward Zylan Cheatham battled foul trouble in the win over Stanford but has been the team’s most consistent player, averaging 11.8 points and leading the Pac-12 at 10.7 rebounds per game. Martin is averaging 7.1 assists over his past nine games for the Sun Devils, who lead the league in rebounding margin at plus-6.4.

TIP-INS

1. Arizona State has won the last three meetings against Cal - including an 80-66 victory in Berkeley on Jan. 9.

2. Cal freshman guard Matt Bradley scored a career-high 19 points in last month’s loss to the Sun Devils.

3. Arizona State is 7-2 in Pac-12 play when Edwards scores at least 10 points.

PREDICTION: Arizona State 87, Cal 66