UCLA vs. Cal: How to Watch, Game Info, Betting Odds

The Bruins return for their second game back from their COVID-19 delay, traveling to face a Pac-12 foe in conference play.

WHO: UCLA vs. Cal

DATE: Saturday, Jan. 8

TIME: 5 p.m. PT

LOCATION: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA

TV: Pac-12 Networks – J.B. Long (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst)

STREAMING: fuboTV – Get 7-day Free Trial

RADIO: AM 570, Sirius Ch. TBD, XM Ch. TBD, SXM App TBD – Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)

SPREAD: UCLA -9 (-110), Cal +9 (-118)*

MONEY LINE: UCLA (-568), Cal (+370)*

OVER/UNDER: O 135 (-110), U 135 (-118)*

UCLA is the No. 5 team in the country according to both the AP and Coaches Polls. Cal has not appeared in either poll this season.

The latest KenPom ratings have the Bruins at No. 13 and the Golden Bears at No. 100, while the NET Rankings slot UCLA in at No. 22 and Cal at No. 118.

UCLA has gotten off to a 9-1 start to this season, losing to then-No. 1 Gonzaga after opening the season 5-0, then recovering with a road win over UNLV, a home win against Colorado and a road win over Marquette. However, the Bruins had games canceled against Alabama State, North Carolina and Cal Poly due to COVID-19 issues, and their first few games of conference play were postponed as well.

Thursday, UCLA returned to action with a 96-78 win over Long Beach State, earning the Bruins their ninth win of the season. The matchup marked the second time the Bruins and Beach faced off this season, with the blue and gold winning both.

The Bruins are averaging 82.6 points per game and allowing 66.8.

Cal is 9-6 so far in 2021, with its high-profile wins coming against nonconference opponents Fresno State and Santa Clara and conference foes Arizona State and Oregon State. Thursday night, Cal hosted USC and kept the game within eight with two minutes left, but the Trojans pulled away and earned the conference victory. Entering that game, though, Cal was on a five-game winning streak.

The Golden Bears are averaging points per game 66.6 and allowing 62.7.

During the 2020-2021 season, UCLA and Cal faced off twice in Pac-12 play, with the Bruins coming away with two victories in the process. The Bruins won the first matchup by 20 points at Pauley Pavilion, but when visiting Haas Pavilion, they only won by four points.

The Bruins opened the year with all five starters and the whole bench returning from last year's Final Four team, but forward Cody Riley sprained his left knee Nov. 9 and just returned for his first in-game minutes Thursday against Long Beach State. Jaime Jaquez Jr. left the first half against Long Beach State with a sprained ankle and did not return, so his status for Saturday could be up in the air.

Johnny Juzang is the top scorer so far this season with 16.7 points per game, while Jaquez, Jules Bernard and Tyger Campbell are averaging 14.1, 13.9 and 12.4 a night, respectively. Campbell has the most assists per game with 4.8, and Rutgers transfer big man Myles Johnson is leading the team with 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

Guard Jordan Shepherd is Cal's leading scorer at 14.6 points per game, with Andre Kelly and Grant Anticevich both averaging double figures as well. Kelly and Anticevich lead the Golden Bears in rebounding, averaging 8.8 and 7.5 rebounds per game, respectively. Guard Jalen Celestine plays a sixth-man role and averages 5.9 points off the bench.

Cronin is now in his 19th season as a head coach, and he has an all-time record of 415-194 with 12 NCAA tournament appearances across stints at Murray State, Cincinnati and UCLA. Mark Fox is now in his 17th season as a head coach on the opposite bench, and he has an all-time record of 318-220 with five NCAA tournament appearances across stints at Nevada, Georgia and Cal.

UCLA is 30-16-1 all-time against Cal, winning the last eight head-to-head matchups and all five since Cronin arrived in Westwood.

*Odds via SI Sportsbook

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