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Dec. 26, 2008

Dec. 26 Press Conference Quotes

BERKELEY -

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Following the brief holiday break, California continues its six-game homestand with the 16th annual Colliers International Golden Bear Classic Dec. 27-28 at Haas Pavilion. The Golden Bears (9-2), which currently sport a 4-1 record in the month of December, square off against Dartmouth on Saturday in the first game of the tournament at 1 p.m. Portland and Air Force will also compete in the tournament.

Cal won its third in a row on Dec. 22, topping Colgate by a lopsided score of 83-48. The 35-point win was the Bears' largest margin of victory this season and their largest margin of victory since a 43-point win against Jackson State last season. Junior G Jerome Randle led Cal with 16 points, while junior G Patrick Christopher posted 15 points.

The Bears continue to pace the nation in three-point accuracy, connecting on just over half of their attempts (51.0%). Junior F Theo Robertson currently leads the nation in three-point percentage at 61.8 percent (min 1.5 made per game). Randle is tied for sixth in the NCAA in the same category at 57.1 percent.

Randle paces the squad with 20.2 ppg and has led the Bears in 10 of 11 games. He matched his career high with 26 points vs. Florida State on Nov. 29. He is dishing out 4.7 apg and owns a team-best 12 steals.

On the defensive end, the Bears are holding opponents to 64.8 ppg, far fewer than the 75.1 ppg Cal allowed last year. Colgate was the second Cal opponent to not score 50 points this season.

Junior G Patrick Christopher is currently averaging 14.5 ppg. He is also third on the team in rebounds with 43, averaging 3.9 per game. Offensively against Colgate, he posted 15 points.
Probable Starters

Pos   No.   Name                   Ht.   Wt.   Yr.   PPG   RPG
F     10    Jamal Boykin           6-8   230   Jr    9.4   5.6
18 points vs. Texas-Pan Am; team-high six rebounds at Utah
F     24    Theo Robertson         6-6   225   Jr    11.6  3.4
Nailed six of his last seven three-point attempts
C     33    Jordan Wilkes          7-0   225   Jr    4.4   4.5
Tied his season high with eight points against Colgate
G     3     Jerome Randle          5-10  160   Jr    20.2  4.5 apg
Cal's leading scorer in 10 of 11 games this season
G     23    Patrick Christopher    6-5   215   Jr    14.5  3.9
Led Cal in rebounds for the first time this year vs. Nevada with six

Cal Head Coach Mike Montgomery
Mike Montgomery, one of the most successful coaches in the collegiate game, is in his first season overseeing the California program. He has a 9-2 record with the Golden Bears and a 556-246 (.693) overall mark that includes eight years at Montana and 18 seasons at Stanford. Montgomery has coached teams to one NIT title (1991), four Pac-10 regularseason crowns (1999, 2000, 2003, 2004) and one Pac-10 Tournament title (2004), as well as the 1998 NCAA Final Four. He was named the Naismith Coach of the Year in 2000 and is a four-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year (1999, 2000, 2003, 2004). Montgomery was introduced as Cal's 15th head coach on April 5, 2008.

Dartmouth Scouting Report
A Look at Dartmouth
Saturday's contest will be game No. 2,500 in the history of Dartmouth men's basketball. The Big Green currently has an all-time record of 1,190-1,308-1 (.476). Dartmouth hasn't played since Dec. 17, when it fell to Quinnipiac, 76-74. In that contest, senior Alex Barnett surpassed 1,000 points in his career with 24 against Quinnipiac, and for the third time this year, sophomore Ronnie Dixon topped his career high in scoring, putting up 18 points.
Cal-Dartmouth Series History
Cal has never lost to Dartmouth in the five previous meetings between the teams. The last meeting was just over 24 years ago, which the Bears won in Berkeley, 71-44. The first game took place on New Year's Day at Madison Square Garden in 1940, a 42-30 Cal win. The other four games have all taken place in Berkeley.
Dartmouth Head Coach Terry Dunn
Head coach Terry Dunn is now in his fifth season as Dartmouth's 26th head coach. After beginning his career with the second-best turnaround in Ivy League history (from 1-13 the year before his arrival to 7-7 in his first year at the helm), Dunn has had to rebuild the program following the graduation of the core of that squad.
Probable Starters

Pos No Name              Ht    Wt    Yr    Ppg    Rpg
F   1  Alex Barnett      6-6   210   Sr.   21.4    5.1
F   15 Josh Riddle       6-8   205   Fr.   1.5     3.0
C   41 Kurt Graeber      6-9   245   Sr.   3.3     4.1
G   25 Jabari Trotter    6-1   185   Fr.   11.5    2.8
G   3  Ronnie Dixon      6-1   170   So.   8.3     2.0

Golden Bear Notes
Last Time Out: Bears Brush Past Colgate
Cal improved to 4-1 in the month of December when it defeated Colgate, 83-48, on Dec. 22. For the 10th time this season, Jerome Randle was Cal's leading scorer, putting up 16 points. Right behind Randle was Patrick Christopher, who scored 15 points. Nine of Christopher's 15 points came in a stretch of 1:18, when he drilled three three-pointers. The Bears got most of their bench into the game with Nican Robinson tallying a team-best four assists. Jordan Wilkes also tied his season best in points, with eight, and tied Omondi Amoke with a game-high six rebounds.

New Times for Day 1 of Colliers International Golden Bear Classic
Due to the 5 p.m. kickoff time for Cal football against Miami at the Emerald Bowl Dec. 27 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, tipoff times for the two basketball games on the first day of the Colliers International Golden Bear Classic have been changed to allow fans to enjoy the complete slate of action on the gridiron and hardwood that day. Cal and Dartmouth will square off at Haas Pavilion at 1 p.m., followed by Air Force vs. Portland at 3:30. The move allows Cal fans to watch the basketball game, then have the option of taking BART to AT&T park to attend the football game. Times for the second day of the Golden Bear Classic on Dec. 28 will remain the same - consolation game at 2:30 and championship game at 5 p.m.

Golden Bear Classic History
This year's event represents the 16th annual Golden Bear Classic, and Cal has won 10 of the previous 15 tournaments. Last season, Cal defeated North Dakota State, 86-72, in the championship game last year. Jerome Randle was named the MVP of the tournament after he scored a career-high 26 points. He was joined on the all-tournament team by former Bear Ryan Anderson. Bucknell beat Long Beach State in the consolation game of last year's tournament. The Bears own a 25-5 all-time mark in the Golden Bear Classic.

All-Junior Lineup for Bears
With no seniors on the roster, Cal has to look to its junior class for veteran leadership this season, and the Bears are getting just that with an all-junior starting lineup. Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher combined as Cal's starting backcourt virtually all of last year, and the pair is teaming up again in 2008-09. Junior F Jamal Boykin started in 11 of the Bears' final 15 games last season, while Theo Robertson started all 33 games in 2006-07 before missing '07-08 with a hip injury. Only junior C Jordan Wilkes had not had a start prior to this year.

Hot Shots: Jerome Randle Lighting Up the Nets
Jerome Randle, who averaged 11.8 ppg last season, is pouring in 20.2 ppg this year to lead the Bears. He already has seven 20-point efforts so far, exceeding his career total of three 20-point games during his first two seasons in the program. He has paced Cal in scoring 10 times in 11 games, including a career-high-tying 26 points vs. Florida State Nov. 29. Randle is shooting 56.0 percent from the floor and has made 57.1 percent of his threepoint attempts (28-for-49), tied for sixth-best in the country (min 1.5 made per game). In addition, he is 64-for-75 at the free throw line (85.3%).

Hot Shots, Part Trey
Cal ranks first nationally in three-point shooting, having connected on 51.0 percent of its shots from behind the arc. Theo Robertson currently leads the nation in three-point percentage at 61.8 percent (min 1.5 made per game). Robertson has connected on his last six of seven three-point attempts. Jerome Randle is tied for sixth in the NCAA in the same category at 57.1 percent. As a team, the Bears made more than half their attempts a number of times this season, including a 7-for-10 effort at UNLV, an 8-for-12 performance against San Francisco, 7-for-11 at Utah and 7-for-12 against Nevada. In addition to Randle and Robertson, Jamal Boykin (3-for-3) and reserve Eddie Miller (3-for-4) are also shooting well from long distance. Air Force, Cal's possible second-day opponent in the Golden Bear Classic, is right behind the Bears, ranked second in the nation in three-point percentage at 46.9 percent.
NCAA Three-Point Percentage Leaders (as of 12/22/08)

1. California         .510 ( 73/143 )
2. Air Force          .469 ( 75/160 )
3. Arizona            .460 ( 57/124 )
4. North Dakota State .439 ( 83/189 )
5. Buffalo            .431 ( 44/102 )

Harper's Heating Up
Sophomore F Harper Kamp had a huge game against Utah on Dec. 10. Kamp posted a season-best 12 points, jumping up from averaging 1.4 ppg to 2.6. In 27 minutes of play, Kamp was 5-for-10 from the floor and collected three rebounds. He followed that performance with six points against Nevada, improving his season scoring average to 2.9. He also collected five rebounds and two assists against the Wolf Pack. His career-best showing is 16 points, which he earned against Jackson State on Dec. 5 of last year.

Montgomery Off to Quick Start at Cal
Head coach Mike Montgomery became the first Cal coach in 48 years to win his first five games directing the program. The Bears opened with victories over Pacific, San Francisco, Texas-Pan American, North Carolina A&T and UNLV before falling by three points to Florida State. The last coach to accomplish the five-game feat was Rene Herrerias, who began 5-0 in 1960-61 as the successor to Pete Newell.

Cal's Nonconference Success at Haas Pavilion
With a 7-0 record in Haas Pavilion to start the year, Cal has now won 29 of its last 32 nonconference home games. Last season, the Bears were 8-1 in Berkeley against teams outside the Pac-10, including a 68-66 victory over New Mexico in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. The only loss was a 67-65 setback to Utah. Looking back further, Cal was 6-1 outside the conference at home in 2006-07 and 6-0 in 2005-06. Bears Begin with Five 10-Point Wins for First Time in 82 Years Cal won each of its first five games by at least 10 points for the first time since the 1926-27 season. The Bears opened with a 68-56 victory over Pacific and followed with decisions over San Francisco (87-74), Texas-Pan American (85-58) and North Carolina A&T (82-47). Cal then stopped UNLV's home winning streak at 19 games with a 73-55 triumph at the Thomas & Mack Center. Back in 1926-27, Cal also opened with wins over San Francisco and Pacific en route to prevailing by double figures in its first six contests.

Theo Robertson Returns to the Lineup
Theo Robertson is back in the starting lineup after missing all of last year due to preseason hip surgery. 11 games into the 2008-09 campaign, it seems the 6-5 wing is playing as well as ever. He is averaging 11.6 ppg, scoring in double figures eight times in 11 games, and shooting 48.0 percent from the floor and 61.8 percent from three-point distance. Robertson soared to a career-high 23 points - 19 in the first half - vs. San Francisco on Nov. 18, and swished all 10 of his points against Nevada on Dec. 20 in the final seven minutes of the contest, helping Cal seal the victory.

Gutierrez Quietly Making an Impact
The hustle of freshman G Jorge Gutierrez has been paying off on the scoresheets as of late. Gutierrez earned a season-best three steals and also tied his season best in assists with four at Utah. He also tallied four assists against Texas-Pan American on Nov. 20. Gutierrez is averaging 18.8 minutes per game of playing time. In 23 minutes of play against Nevada, Gutierrez posted four points, three rebounds and two assists. He notched eight points against Colgate with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Following his performance against Colgate, Gutierrez now stands in second on the team in assists per game (1.9) and steals per game (.82).

The Max Factor: Center Stands Tall in the Middle
Redshirt-freshman C Max Zhang may be playing just 5.7 minutes per game, but he is making his presence felt with a team-leading 10 blocks so far. The tallest player in school history at 7-3, Zhang had a pair of blocks vs. Texas-Pan American, then swatted away three shots in the second half vs. North Carolina A&T and three more in the first half at UNLV.

Wilkes' Presence Felt as Smaller of the 7-Footers
Jordan Wilkes, the other half of Cal's tandem of 7-footers, is putting up career numbers so far in 2008-09, notching career highs in rebounds (10 vs. DePaul) and blocks (2 vs. North Carolina A&T). Wilkes tied his season-best point total against Colgate, putting up eight points. The brother of former Cal guard Omar Wilkes and son of NBA great Jamal Wilkes has also spent his most time on the floor this season, at 18.5 mpg.

Boykin Boosts Bears on Boards
Jamal Boykin has emerged as Cal's most consistent rebounder this season, averaging 5.6 per game. He has paced the Bears on the glass six times in the last nine games, with a high of nine at Missouri. Not only does Boykin have a team-high 41 defensive rebounds, but he also owns a team-best 21 offense boards. On Dec. 10, Boykin continued his streak of pacing the Bears on the glass with a team-high six rebounds against at Utah.

Jerome Randle Aiming to Stay Hot at the Line
Already Cal's all-time leader in career free throw percentage entering the season, Jerome Randle is connecting at an even higher clip in 2008-09. Over his first two years in the program, Randle was a combined 115-for-126 (84.6%), which ranked just ahead of Michael Chavez, who was 198-for-235 (84.3%) at the stripe from 1980-83. This season, though, Randle has made 64-for-75 free throw attempts (85.3%). Two times this season Randle has been perfect at the line when having more than five shots. He went 7-for-7 against Nevada and 6-for-6 against USF on Nov. 18.
Cal Career Free Throw Leaders

1. Jerome Randle (2007- )   85.2% 179-210
2. Michael Chavez (1980-83) 84.3% 198-235
3. Ryan Anderson (2007-08)  84.1% 276-328
4. Shantay Legans (2000-02) 83.7% 190-227
5. Bill Duwe (1969-72)      81.6% 120-147

Nibs Price to Be Inducted into Pac-10 Hall of Honor
Clarence Merle "Nibs" Price will be Cal's inductee into the Pac-10 Hall of Honor during the conference basketball tournament in March. Price, who graduated from Cal in 1914, is the school's all-time winningest basketball coach, having guided the Bears to a 449-294 record from 1924-54. His teams won eight Pacific Coast Conference championships in addition to capturing 12 Southern Division crowns. He led the Bears to 29 consecutive wins over one three-year stretch, including a pair of undefeated seasons, going 14-0 in 1925-26 and 13-0 in 1926-67. Price's 1945-46 squad finished 30-6 overall, setting a Cal record for most wins in a season and advancing to the NCAA Final Four, where the Bears placed fourth. He also served as Cal's football coach from 1926-30 and led the Bears to the 1929 Rose Bowl. Previous Cal inductees into the Hall of Honor are Pete Newell (2002), Kevin Johnson (2003), Jason Kidd (2004), Darrall Imhoff (2005), Andy Wolfe (2006), Russ Critchfield (2007) and Charles Johnson (2008).

Bears Sign Bak Bak, Sanders-Frison
Cal signed two players to National Letters of Intent in November, adding 6-10, 200-pound forward Bak Bak out of Village Christian HS in Sun Valley, Calif., and 6-8, 265-pound center Markurhi Sanders-Frison from South Plains CC in Levelland, Texas, to the 2009-10 roster. Originally from Sudan and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Bak spent last summer playing with the Double Pump AAU team. After moving to the United States, he attended the American Heritage School in Plantation, Fla., for 2006-07, but did not play basketball. Bak then relocated to California in the fall of 2007, sitting out last season as a transfer at Valley Christian HS. Sanders-Frison attended Jefferson HS in Portland, Ore., where he averaged 10 ppg and 8 rpg, helping the team to three city titles. Last year, he helped Eastern Arizona College to a 30-6 record and contributed 10 ppg and 10 rpg.

100th Season of Cal Men's Basketball
California is celebrating the 100th season of Golden Bear men's basketball this year. Over the course of its first century of play, Cal has had its fair share of highlights - an NCAA championship in 1959, three Final Four appearances (1946, 1959, 1960) and an NIT title in 1999. The Bears have advanced to postseason 48 times, with the majority of those appearances in the last 25 years. Among the top names to pass through the Cal program include Hall of Fame coach Pete Newell; Olympic champions Darrall Imhoff, Jason Kidd and Shareef Abdur-Rahim; perennial NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson; and four Pac-10 Players of the Year (Kidd '94, Abdur-Rahim '96, Ed Gray '97, Sean Lampley '01). The Bears will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of their NCAA title run. Led by allconference guards Al Buch and Denny Fitzpatrick and All-America center Imhoff, Cal defeated Oscar Robinson's Cincinnati squad, 64-58, in the national semifinals and then edged Jerry West's West Virginia team, 71-70, for the national crown. Cal will honor the 50th anniversary of the 1959 championship with a special ceremony during the Feb. 14, 2009, game vs. Stanford, which will include recognition of all Golden Bear basketball alumni who have contributed to Cal's history.

Remembering Hall of Famer Pete Newell
Pete Newell, one of the basketball's most respected and beloved figures who led California to the 1959 NCAA title, passed away on Monday, Nov. 17 after a long illness. He was 93. Head coach of the Golden Bears from 1954-60, Newell guided Cal to four consecutive conference crowns (1957-60) and was voted National Coach of the Year in 1960. He finished his Cal career with a 119-44 record, which included an NCAA runner-up finish in '60 in addition to the 1959 title. Newell also led the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal at the 1960 Games in Rome with a squad that featured former Cal center Darrall Imhoff as well as such future NBA standouts as Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. He later served as Cal's Director of Athletics from 1960-68. On Dec. 21, 1987, the playing surface at Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion) was renamed "Pete Newell Court" in his honor. A statue of Newell, created by renowned sculptor Eino, was installed in the Haas Pavilion Club Room in the fall of 2006. Newell was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978 and enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a year later. Newell, who guided San Francisco to the 1949 National Invitation Tournament title, is one of only three men to have captured the "Triple Crown" of coaching - NIT, NCAA and Olympic gold medal (also Bob Knight, Dean Smith).