BERKELEY -- A Monday night tilt with a fellow ursine sets the stage for a rare nonconference matchup as the No. 21/20 Golden Bears battle the No. 19/RV UCLA Bruins in Haas Pavilion. The action begins at 6:02 p.m. in Berkeley and airs live on the Pac-12 Bay Area with Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (analyst) and Guy Haberman (play-by-play) on the call.
Because of the nonconference designation, the meeting between the pair of Pac-12 foes will not count toward their conference records but will count toward their overall records. Since Cal was set to play UCLA just once this year in Los Angeles as part of the typical Pac-12 rotation, in which each team only sees two teams on the road, the Bears added the game as part of its nonconference slate to create another exciting home matchup during non-league play.
Monday's promotions include a free mini flashlight for the first 500 fans in celebration of National Flashlight Day, and a halftime Teddy Bear Toss to benefit the local charity Good News Bears. Fans who show their teddy bear donation at the ticket window will receive a $3 ticket to the game.
Live stats can be accessed at CalBears.com, and follow the @CalWBball twitter and Instagram accounts for updates along with behind-the-scenes photos and information.
FAST FACTS
• Cal is among the nation's top 40 teams in five categories -- field goal percentage (No. 16, 46.7%), 3-point field goal percentage (No. 25, 37.6%), Assists per game (No. 32, 17.2 apg), Fewest fouls (No. 33, 131) and scoring offense (no. 40, 76.7 points).
• Four of Cal's five starters are averaging scoring marks in the double figures.
• Cal is third in the Pac-12 for assists per game, averaging 17.2 apg.
A CALIFORNIA WIN WOULD
• Be Cal's first win over a top 25 ranked opponent since Nov. 15, when Cal defeated then-No. 8 Lousiville 75-71 in Louisville.
• Be Cal's first HOME win over a top 25 team since Feb. 16, 2014, when No. 22 Cal beat No. 15 Arizona State 74-63.
• Mark the eighth consecutive regular-season victory for Cal over UCLA
• Up head coach Lindsay Gottlieb's record against UCLA to to 8-2 at Cal
• Give Cal a 43-12 record over nonconference opponents under Gottlieb, and a 28-3 record at home in nonconference play under Gottlieb
• Give Cal eight wins in its nonconference slate every season under Gottlieb's tenure
RANKINGS ROUNDUP
Cal rose one spot in each of the polls this week, up to No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 21 in the Associated Press Poll.
A LOOK AT THE BRUINS
Series Record: Bruins lead, 47-21
Last Meeting: Cal won, 70-64, on Feb. 12, 2015
UCLA's Last Outing: Nirra Fields led all scorers with 22 points in her second conseuctive 20-point effort as the Bruins cruised to a 109-76 victory at Sacramento State. UCLA shot a season-best 62.9 percent from the floor (44-for-70) while holding Sacramento State to 30.3 percent (27-for-89) as five Bruins scored in double figures. Monique Billing's 20 points was a career-high and UCLA led by as much as 33 points and turned in 58 boards.
• Three Bruins have a scoring average in the double figures -- Jordin Canada (17.8 points per game), Fields (16.8 ppg) and Monique Billings (13.4).
• UCLA is limiting opponents to an average of 67.2 points per game. Meanwhile, the Bruins' scoring offense of 82.2 ppg is second in the Pac-12.
• UCLA's two losses have come against top 10 teams in South Carolina (68-65) and Notre Dame (92-84, OT).
BEST FRESHMAN IN THE COUNTRY
Kristine Anigwe is making her case as the best freshman in the country.
• Second-highest scoring freshman in the country, averaging 21.0 points per game. She is No. 21 overall and second in the Pac-12.
• Leads the country's freshmen in free throws made with 49.
• Second-most double-doubles of any freshman in the nation with four this season, including three consecutive
• 28th in the nation for field goal percentage (57.9 percent), the third-highest of any newcomer.
• Third-most points scored of any freshman with 189 total points behind Saint Francis' (PA) Jessica Kovatch (203 points) and Washington States Borislava Hristova (194).
GRABBY GREEN
Change her name to “Grabby,” because the Cal sophomore is playing tremendous defense for the Golden Bears in 2015.
• Leads the Pac-12 in steals and is ninth in the country for steals per game (3.33 spg).
• 17th nationally for steals (30 steals)
• Tied for fifth in the conference with 5.2 assists per game.
ANIGWE EARNS SEASON'S FIRST USBWA HONOR
In addition to picking up her fourth Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award, Kristine Anigwe also earned the first U.S. Basketball Writer's Association (USBWA) nod of the season following a Nebraska performance that saw her score 29 points and 10 rebounds.
MAKING A SPLASH IN THE PAC
Kristine Anigwe is quickly emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the Pac-12, as the California newcomer has claimed Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors four of a possible five weeks. She is the only Golden Bear to earn more than two FOTW awards, and one of only six players to earn the weekly nod four times since the award was introduced in 2012-13.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Bears picked up another quality win, defeating Nebraska 87-80 in overtime on Dec. 12 to improve to 7-2 on the season. Kristine Anigwe led Cal once again, turning in her third consecutive double-double with a 29 and 10 performance. Mikayla Cowling (19 points), Courtney Range (19) and Asha Thomas (17) also scored in the double figures, while Gabby Green notched five steals, nine assists, six boards and a block.
NEXT UP
The Golden Bears wrap up a five-game homestand and their nonconference slate against Cal State Northridge at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 30.
2015-16 TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Season, group and single-game tickets for the 2015-16 women's basketball season are now on sale. Season tickets start as low as $27 ($1.59 per game, 17 games) for youth and seniors and $84 ($4.94 per game, 17 games) for adult general admission tickets, while single-game tickets are available starting at $3 for youth and seniors and $8 for adults. For more information, call the Gold Standard Sales and Service line at (800) GO BEARS (462-3277) or visit the CalBears.com ticket page.
JOIN THE BEARS ON THISISCALBASKETBALL.COM
Cal's one-of-a-kind multimedia fan site, ThisIsCalBasketball.com, is back for its fifth season and once again features an unprecedented look into the inner workings of the personalities behind the Cal women's basketball's roster. Visitors to ThisIsCalBasketball.com can get an in-depth look at the people behind the jerseys, from action and portrait photos to bio videos told in their teammates' own words. New to the site this year is The Challenge, a six-part reality show-style miniseries based on the Bears' Amazing Race-esque hunt around campus.
KEEP POSTED
Stay up-to-date on the latest Cal women's basketball news by following the Bears on social media. View behind-the-scenes photos and videos and learn more about Cal and its student-athletes on Twitter (@CalWBball), Instagram (@CalWBball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/CalWBball).
