Bear Territory Tuesday: Will Jordan Mathews have room to "breakout"?

     One of the more interesting things to think about when it comes to the 2015-16 Cal men's basketball team is how much room there is for all the players to showcase their abilities. Tyrone Wallace is the senior point guard trying to prove he's worthy of a first round pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb both are hoping to be lottery picks in the 2016 NBA draft, Jabari Bird is hoping to prove that he still belongs in the NBA discussion, etc. 

     With all of these players looking to shine while simultaneously having to play together, it stands to reason that somebody is going to have to make a sacrifice or at least not produce as much as they could.    Out of all the players on the team, that "somebody" projects to be Jordan Mathews, a junior shooting guard who averaged 13.6 points per game last season. If it wasn't for the amazing recruiting class that Cal has had, it would stand to reason that Jordan Mathews would take a big step forward and become the next star of the team in the 2015-16 season.

     But with Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown coming to Berkeley, that is longer realistic. As a matter of fact, it's not even clear if Jordan Mathews is in the starting lineup depending on how things shake out in the frontcourt. Going back to my opening paragraph, with all of these big name players suiting up for Cal, there are only so many shots and possessions to go around for each player. Tyrone Wallace is still the leader of the team and Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb are the most talented. The unfortunate reality for Jordan Mathews is that he isn't likely to have as a big of a role as he probably anticipated and that could be somewhat disheartening for him. 

     On the flip side, Mathews is still going to be a key part of the team and thanks to this monster recruiting class, he gets a chance to be on a team that gets a lot of national attention. If Mathews has the right attitude, as I'm sure he will, this could all work to his benefit in terms of his NBA draft stock. NBA scouts do value players who have the humility to be role players and in the NBA, a role player is what Jordan Mathews projects to be at best. 

     So, while it's unlikely that Jordan Mathews has a "breakout" season in terms of leading the team in scoring, he still has a great opportunity to showcase his abilities in the 2015-16 season. It's just that he won't be showcasing his abilities in the way that he probably was expecting before the signings of Rabb and Brown.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for Cal basketball news 


   

Bear Territory Tuesday: Will the Golden State Warriors' success rub off on Cal basketball?

     The Golden State Warriors won their first NBA championship in 40 years last week, eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. Andre Iguodala won the MVP of the series primarily because everything swung in the Warriors' favor once he was inserted into the starting lineup in favor of Andrew Bogut.  The Warriors' small ball lineups featuring Iguodala ended up making the difference in the series. The faster tempo created by going small was simply too much for the Cavaliers to overcome.

     If they tried to go small, the Cavaliers would get beat because the Warriors had a better small ball lineup. If the Cavaliers tried to go big, they would also get beat because the Warriors would get too many easy looks in transition. In the end, we saw the better team win even though LeBron James was clearly the best player of the entire series. It was sad to see the Cavaliers lose after all that LeBron James had done, but in the end I was happy to see the Bay Area get its first NBA title since 1975.

     The city of Oakland hasn't had a lot to cheer about over the years. The economy has been in decline, drugs and violence have been an issue, and they are on the verge of losing their pro sports teams to bigger markets (The Warriors to San Francisco and possibly the Raiders to Los Angeles). It was nice to have an NBA championship parade in the city of Oakland in light of all their struggles. It certainly brought joy, optimism, and pride to the community.

     In addition to lifting up the spirits of the city of Oakland, the Warriors' championship also appeared to inspire the Cal men's basketball team. Here are some tweets from the team.

Congratulations @TheoRobertson3! NBA CHAMPION! #GoBears pic.twitter.com/jzQ7yp5MRU

— Cal Men's Basketball (@CalMensBBall) June 17, 2015

The Bay going up on a Tuesdayyyyy

— Jaylen Brown ® (@FCHWPO) June 17, 2015

Like Singo said, we are next. #GoDubs #GoBears #bg

— Brandon V Chauca (@bchauca10) June 17, 2015

Congratulations, @warriors! #BayArea STAND UP!!

— Yann Hufnagel (@yhufnagel) June 17, 2015

You left off the next big thing... #TogetherWeAttack https://t.co/5R5wXALNBJ

— Yann Hufnagel (@yhufnagel) June 17, 2015

Congratulations to the Warriors! Great finish to a hard fought season! #StrengthInNumbers

— Cuonzo Martin (@CuonzoMartin) June 17, 2015 

Stephhhhhh!

— Ivan Rabb (@YoungIvee) June 15, 2015

     It is clear from all of these tweets and reactions that the Cal men's basketball team has gotten a jolt of excitement and inspiration from watching the hometown Warriors win an NBA title. Realizing that an NBA championship team is so close to them has certainly made them realize that winning a championship in the East Bay can be done. What especially makes this hit home for Cal is the fact that the Warriors play just 11 miles away from UC Berkeley and also bear a name that represents the entire state, calling themselves "Golden State Warriors" in a manner similar to UC Berkeley calling themselves "California Golden Bears".
   
   Even though the Cal men's basketball team will have to go out and earn a national championship like every other team, the hometown Warriors can serve as an inspiration for them and be there as an example of what it takes to win a championship. The Warriors won an NBA championship because they played as a team, made sacrifices, and played hard on both ends of the floor. If Cal can do those same things and try to model themselves after the Warriors in those areas, odds are good that the East Bay will have a Final Four championship team in 2016.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord and like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation

Bear Territory Tuesday: A quick reaction to Cal's Pac-12 schedule windows

     On Monday, the Pac-12 schedule windows for the 2015-16 California Golden Bears men's basketball team were released.

Via CalBears.com:

As part of the conference’s 18-game schedule, each school will face seven league opponents twice and four opponents once throughout the regular season. Cal will not play UCLA and USC on the road and will not host Washington and Washington State at home during the 2015-16 league slate.

Home/Away Designations and Date WindowsDec. 30-Jan. 3: Colorado and Utah
Jan. 6-10: at Oregon and Oregon State
Jan. 13-17: at Stanford
Jan. 20-24: Arizona State and Arizona
Jan. 27-31: at Colorado and Utah
Feb. 3-7: Stanford
Feb. 10-14: Oregon and Oregon State
Feb. 17-21: at Washington and Washington State
Feb. 24-28: UCLA and USC
March 2-6: at Arizona and Arizona State

     What has not yet been decided is when exactly Cal will play each of these games, but we do know the order, the locations, and the amount of times they will play each team. At first glance, the first thing that jumps out at me are the dates with Arizona. Cal has developed a rivalry with Arizona as of late, ending their perfect season during the 2013-14 season and stealing Ivan Rabb away from them a couple of months ago. It is good to know that the Wildcats will be making a trip to Berkeley this upcoming season so that we can have another "Gold Out Haas".

     Secondly, it's nice to know that there won't be an L.A. road trip. Cal really got waxed in Southern California last season for reasons that I still don't understand. It was bizarre to see them struggle the way that they did, so I for one am happy that we will only be playing UCLA and USC at home.

     Third, I think it's very interesting that Cal will face Utah right out of the gate. Utah came out of nowhere to become a top 10 team last season and Cal is now trying to do the same thing this upcoming season. I think it'll be fascinating to see how Utah handles Cal surpassing them in terms of hype and expectations. Utah will want to send a message and Cal at the same time will want to prove that they belong and avenge the loss they had to Utah last season. In addition, while it'll be fun to also get a second crack at Utah on the road, the Colorado-Utah road trip will be a real test for Cal, especially after having just played Arizona at home.

     Lastly, what stands out to me is the fact that none of these games stand out to me! What I mean by that is that there is no Pac-12 opponent who Cal should fear. The Arizona games will be fun because of the recent history that Cal has with them and the fact that Cal should be able to go toe-to-toe with them all season. But as far as there begin an opponent who Cal should feel inferior to, there is none and that is amazing considering where this team was just 12 months ago.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA and Cal basketball news 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Will Cal be able to bring it every night?

     Over the last several weeks, I have more or less been gushing about how good Cal men's basketball is going to be next season. With all the recruits that they've landed, why shouldn't I? But at the same time, while I am a passionate fan and proud Cal alum, I still try to write through the lens of a critical sports journalist who calls things as I see it, unfiltered, and without bias. I understand that my deep connection to UC Berkeley makes that impossible in one way, but all the same I can still strive to be as honest, candid, and open-minded as possible.

     With that as a back drop for my post,  I would like to talk about two things that I think will ultimately determine the fate of the 2015-16 Cal men's basketball team: Effort and consistency. The talent level on this team is that of a top-ten team. ESPN's Jeff Goodman ranked them #8 in the country in his latest preseason poll, so I'm not alone in believing this. But while the talent is there, it is no guarantee that this team lives up to expectations. As a matter of fact, for the past two seasons, the Cal men's basketball team has not lived up to their potential.

     The 2013-14 team, which was captained by seniors Justin Cobbs and Richard Solomon, had the talent of an NCAA tournament team, but ultimately was done in by a lack of consistency. One night they were beating the #1 ranked team in the country and the next night they were losing at home to a team who they were favored to beat by double digits. The effort  and product on the floor wasn't the same every night. Some nights it was great and other nights it really wasn't.

     As for the 2014-15 team, they were even more up and down, though mostly down. They started off with a very strong 10-1 record, but then completely came unglued after the Wisconsin game, falling to CSU-Bakersfield at home and then losing six of their first seven games in the Pac-12. They appeared to then get back on the rails with a five-game winning streak in the middle of Pac-12 play, but in the end, they ran out of gas and floundered the rest of the season.

     While it is true that the 2015-16 Cal men's basketball team is stacked with talent and is projected to be a force to be reckoned with in the Pac-12, we cannot ignore two previous seasons mired by inconsistency. Cal has had good teams the past couple of seasons but has stumbled due to a lack of focus and drive. If the 2015-16 squad suffers from the same lack of focus and consistency, they too will fail to live up to expectations.

     At the end of the day, basketball is a sport where you have to earn respect and achieve success by performing well on the floor. Having a great roster and tons of talent is definitely nice, but it doesn't guarantee anything. At the moment, we need to remember that everything we are saying about the 2015-16 Cal men's basketball team is only a possibility and nothing actual. They still need to prove that in addition to having more talent, they have more mental fortitude and resolve as well.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA and Cal basketball news 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Don't forget about Jabari Bird

     A lot of attention has been focused on the impact that Tyrone Wallace, Ivan Rabb, and Jaylen Brown are expected to make on Cal basketball next season. If you have been reading my weekly Cal basketball blog posts or are a follower of Cal basketball, you know exactly why those three players have garnered so much attention. 

     But amid all the hype and attention that has been placed on those three guys,  I feel like Jabari Bird, a McDonald's All-American now entering his junior season, has been lost in the shuffle. He seems to be treated as more of an afterthought since he hasn't lived up to the hype that came with him when he arrived at Berkeley as a freshman. While I would agree that he hasn't lived up to expectations,  I would disagree with any decrease in enthusiasm for what he can bring to this Cal team. 

      I personally believe that Jabari Bird is on the cusp of breaking out and it's just a matter of time before he explodes in the way that Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown are expected to this season. Now, what you might be thinking is "We've been waiting for him to explode for two years. Why should this season be any different?" What makes this season different is that he has way more help and other guys to take the pressure off of him. He is no longer the most hyped player on the team which I think will help him focus on playing within himself and playing better basketball from a team perspective. 

     He no longer needs to worry about being the star of the team or being the guy who makes all the big plays. He just needs to worry about making the right plays and letting the game come to him. As he does this I think he will unleash the beast that NBA scouts always thought was in him. I'm not predicting that he'll suddenly become a lottery pick in the 2016 NBA draft, but I do think he'll improve his game a lot and boost up his draft stock in a way similar to what Tyrone Wallace did this past season.  

     If he improves in the way that I think he will, we need to start mentioning him in the same sentence as Ivan Rabb, Jaylen Brown, and Tyrone Wallace. We need to say that we are excited to see what Jabari Bird is going to do as well as what those three guys are going to do. We need to be excited that we have four players who have NBA first round talent. We need to view Jabari Bird, Tyrone Wallace, Jaylen Brown, and Ivan Rabb has a fearsome foursome ready to dominate the Pac-12. 

     Also, just so I don't go about writing another blog post of this nature, this doesn't mean that I'm forgetting about Jordan Mathews, who is also a junior shooting guard with tremendous talent and ability. Jordan is going to be a huge part of this Cal team because of his lethal three point shooting and ability to penetrate and finish at the rim.

      The reason why I'm not telling us to not forget about Jordan Mathews is because I don't think people are forgetting about him. There were many nights last season when Jordan Mathews was the #2 player on the floor for Cal behind Tyrone Wallace. Cal fans are excited about the way Jordan Mathews has developed, but as for Jabari Bird, most Cal fans are disappointed. 

     What I'm hear to tell you is that while it is true that Jabari Bird hasn't lived up to the hype, there's plenty of reasons to believe that he will finally become the player we all thought he would be. He's got a great team around him, a great coaching staff, and much less pressure. All the pieces are there for Jabari Bird to have a breakout season and I can't wait to see how much he surprises everybody! Go Bears! 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news and Cal basketball news 

Bear Territory Tuesday: How huge would it be for Cal to land Ivan Rabb?

     Despite the season being over, the buzz around Cal basketball is bigger than it was at any point during the season all because of one young man named Ivan Rabb, a 5-star McDonald's All-American power forward from Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, CA. At 6'11'' and 220 lbs, Rabb has the ability to dominate on both ends of the floor with his length, explosiveness, and offensive moves. He is able to score in a variety of ways, both inside and out. He can beat you down on the block or take you out on the perimeter and sink a fade away jumper in your face.





     He appears to be the whole package, which is why Cal is drooling all over him and why NBADraft.net has him going #3 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft (Click here for that mock draft). So, how huge would be it be for Cal to land Ivan Rabb? It would be more than huge. It would be monstrous! The Cal basketball program hasn't had a player of this caliber since Jason Kidd in the early 1990s, who like Rabb was a local product debating between Cal and a traditional basketball powerhouse (Rabb is also considering Arizona and Kidd was considering Kansas).

      If Cal lands Ivan Rabb, they will be on the national stage with the likes of Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona, North Carolina, and Duke. The table will be set for Cal to land other big name recruits like Caleb Swanigan and Jaylen Brown. Even if those guys don't come to join him, Rabb's presence alone would be huge for the program because he would make Cal a destination for other big-name players to seriously consider.

     The impact landing Rabb would have on the program would be bigger than just his impact for one season. It would impact how Cuonzo Martin is able to recruit for years to come. Big-time recruits like Rabb are looking at college as a place to prepare themselves for the NBA. If Ivan Rabb plays well at Cal and goes on to have a stellar NBA career, Cuonzo Martin will be able to tell other big-name recruits that Cal is a great place to prepare yourself for the NBA. In addition, he'll have Ivan Rabb there to answer any questions.

     As far as what his impact would mean for next season, it's hard to say because there is still a lot of factors and variables that we don't know. We don't know how good Arizona is going to be, how good UCLA  and Utah will be, or what the national championship landscape will be as a whole. But assuming that Tyrone Wallace comes back, I don't see any reason to not expect Cal to make the NCAA tournament and make a run to the Sweet Sixteen. I wouldn't rule out a run to the Elite Eight or Final Four since Rabb would have plenty of quality veteran's around him, but I think that once you get to that point, you're asking for quite a bit of luck.

     In conclusion, landing Rabb would be huge for Cal. He would instantly become the face of the program and have an impact that would ripple through the program for many years to come. He would elevate Cal from the middle of the Pac-12 to the forefront of the national championship picture in a way similar to what we saw happen with Utah. Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA and Cal basketball news 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Pac-12 tournament ends in a fitting way for Cal

     The California Men's Basketball team did not accomplish their lofty goal of winning the Pac-12 tournament last week. As a matter of fact, they didn't even come close. After blowing the doors off of Washington State 84-59 in their opening round game, Cal fell back to earth the next day against the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats, losing 73-51.

     While the result wasn't a happy one for Cal fans, it was a fitting result to end the season for Cal, who despite showing flashes of brilliance, never was able to fully get their act together all season. The fact that Cal looked dominant one day and inferior the next day pretty much sums up the entire season for Cal. They either looked really good or really bad.

     Now, in the game against Arizona, I thought Cal actually did a lot of things well. They played hard and physical, and they didn't let Arizona destroy them like they did the last time they faced each other in Tucson. Jabari Bird himself said after the game: "We went out there, competed, played hard. We didn't give up like we did the last game." The fact that Cal played hard, competed, and didn't just roll over and die was certainly a nice thing to see, but all the same, it was still a 20+ point loss and a reminder that this program has a long ways to go before they can actually compete for a national championship.

     Probably the best part of the Bears' trip to Vegas was watching David Kravish go out on a high note. Yeah, he struggled against Arizona, but against Washington State he was dominant, scoring 25 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. To see him end his collegiate career with a dominant performance like that was certainly heart-warming knowing how hard he has worked and what he has meant to the program. Cal fans should definitely remember this trip to Vegas for his dominant performance over Washington State.

     Going back to my point about this being a fitting end for Cal, head coach Cuonzo Martin has to find ways to get Cal to play more consistently next season. There was certainly enough talent on this roster to make the NCAA tournament, but what did Cal in was their inability to consistently play at a high level. If Cal played every game like they did against Washington State and even Arizona, they would have made the field of 68. Instead, Cal struggled to consistently bring the same level of intensity and passion to the floor every night, and that is why the best they could do was go to the CBI, an invitation that Cuonzo Martin declined.

     As for what I'll be blogging about on "Bear Territory Tuesday" during the off-season, I don't entirely know, but rest assured that I'll keep this segment chugging along as a staple of my blog during the off-season and for years to come. There are some exciting things that I can turn my attention to like recruiting, the NBA draft, and even how some other Cal Bears are doing now that they are pros. I'll find things to talk about during the off-season, but I just haven't mapped out what it is exactly that I'll be talking about each week. But that's part of the fun. I'm in just as much suspense as you are. As a matter of fact, 45 minutes ago, I didn't even know what exactly I was going to write about this week. A lot of things just come at the spur of the moment.

      I've had a great time blogging about Cal hoops on here and I am even more excited to see how things go during the off-season as I continue to build "Bear Territory Tuesday". And yes, you may have noticed that sometimes it's Tuesdays and Thursdays. But if there is one thing I can tell you for sure, it's going to be on Tuesdays from now on. The main reason is that it fits better with the flow of the basketball season. Cal plays games typically on Wednesdays or Thursdays and either Saturdays or Sundays, sometimes Fridays.

     Anyways, rarely is there a Tuesday game and Tuesday is a nice time of the week to recap what happened in the past week.  So I guess while there is a lot of mystery of as to what I'll blog about on "Bear Territory Tuesday" going forward, it's nice to know that it will firmly be on Tuesdays. I guess that's a start! Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Five things Cal must do to be successful in Vegas

     The Pac-12 tournament starts on Wednesday and it all starts with #8 seeded Cal squaring off against #9 seeded Washington State at 12:00 PM PST on Pac-12 Networks. Both Cal and Washington State come in with 7-11 records in the conference while also splitting the season series. In addition, the winner of this game will face #1 Arizona in the quarterfinals. There is no way of getting around it. While the road to winning the Pac-12 tournament is tough, I still believe that Cal has a shot to make some magic happen in Las Vegas provided they do five things.

     #1. Cal needs to get quality production from their "core four". If Cal is going to have any shot of winning the Pac-12 tournament this week, they have to get quality production from Tyrone Wallace, Jordan Mathews, Jabari Bird, and David Kravish. They need to get all four of those guys clicking and on the same page. The best barometer for this will be whether or not all four guys are scoring in double figures. If they are, then things are probably going pretty well. If they aren't, then odds are good Cal is heading back to Berkeley empty handed.

     Let me give you an example of what would be a good game for Cal's "core four": Tyrone Wallace has 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jabari Bird has 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. Jordan Mathews has 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. David Kravish has 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. What makes this a good game, is that all four players are producing and in the flow of the game. Everybody is relying on each other and doesn't have the pressure of having to take over the game.

     On the flip side, here is an example of what would not be a good game: Tyrone Wallace has 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Jabari Bird has 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal. Jordan Mathews has 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. David Kravish has 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The problem with this type of box score is there is no balance among all four players. In this instance, Tyrone Wallace is carrying the load and nobody else is really giving him any help.

     Too often, this has been the problem for Cal. They get one of their "core four" players to have a big night and nobody else steps up. When this happens, Cal more often than not loses or at least finds themselves on the verge of losing. Cal could maybe beat Washington State playing like this, but against Arizona and everybody else, they have to get the kind of balance displayed in the first example.

     #2. Cal needs to hit their free throws. A high school basketball coach once told me: "The two most important shots in basketball are layups and free throws." That quote has always stuck with me because it's true. If Cal is going to go far in Vegas, they have to hit their foul shots. Cal has no problem getting to the foul line (especially Tyrone Wallace), but they have a hard time converting their foul shots. Cal needs to target a free throw percentage of at least 70% this week.

     #3. Cal needs to get some help off the bench. Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird, Jordan Mathews, and David Kravish may be the guys who have to do all the heavy lifting, but they need to get some help from their bench. Sam Singer is the most likely guy to produce off the bench, but Dwight Tarwater, Christian Behrens, and Brandon Chauca also need to be productive. If the bench for Cal is able to knock down some shots, things will be a lot easier for the starting lineup to do their job. If on the other hand, the bench is ineffective, then Cal will need an above average performance from their starters to compensate.

     #4.  Cal needs to keep teams off the glass. Cal likes to go small a lot, which can work against certain teams in certain scenarios, but they risk giving up a lot of rebounds when they do. If they are going to be successful this week, they have to find ways to win the battle on the glass or at least make it very close. This is why I think 7'1 freshman Kingsley Okoroh has to be a difference maker. He doesn't have to score to make an impact. If he is able to block some shots and grab some boards, he could prove to be invaluable. In addition, David Kravish, Christian Behrens, and Dwight Tarwater will have to really clean up the glass whenever a shot is missed.

     #5. Cal needs to play at a fast tempo. Cal plays best when they are running up and down the floor at a fast pace since they have a lot of guys who love to play in the fast break. Sam Singer, Tyrone Wallace, Jordan Mathews, and Jabari Bird are all fantastic fast break players. If they can get out on the fast break a lot, things should be going well. If on the other hand, they find themselves in the half court, there could be trouble. If Cal is going to be successful at getting out on the fast break, they're going to have to get a lot of rebounds off the defensive glass.

    ---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news

Bear Territory Thursday: Cal gets a reality check against Arizona

     Cal got a reality check against the #5 ranked Arizona Wildcats tonight, getting blown out by the score of 99-60. It was a game that Cal never was really in outside of the first 4-5 minutes of the game. After a score of 12-12, Arizona went on a 9-2 run and never looked back. Arizona continued to add insult to injury the rest of the way, not letting up for even a second. As a result, Arizona secured another Pac-12 regular season title and Cal secured a losing record in the conference. Arizona's forward Brandon Ashley led the way with 21 points and 6 rebounds.

     The harsh reality for Cal is that their 5th gear is Arizona's 2nd gear. Arizona simply has 3-4 extra gears that Cal doesn't have. This isn't to say that Cal couldn't have played better, because they certainly could have. Jordan Mathews for example was practically invisible, scoring just 3 points on 1-5 shooting and Tyrone Wallace only scored 16 points, shooting an inefficient 7-18 from the field.

     Had both of those guys played better with Jabari Bird and David Kravish producing more, Cal could have made things interesting. In addition, Sam Singer played well tonight, scoring 13 points and grabbing 4 rebounds on 5-8 shooting from the field and 3-3 shooting from the foul line. Cal got the bench production they needed, but their starting lineup really let them down.

     Cal doesn't have much time before they face Arizona State on Saturday at 11:30 AM PST, but perhaps that's a good thing. Cal needs to put this loss out of their minds and focus on getting some revenge against an Arizona State team that embarrassed them earlier in the season in Berkeley. In addition, Cal could be playing for a #7 seed in the Pac-12 tournament which could help them avoid Arizona until the championship game.

     I'll talk more about this in my Pac-12 tournament preview, but I do think Utah is vulnerable in a way that Arizona is not. Cal played Utah tough for a half on the road and Utah has lost four times this year in the conference going into their game tonight at Washington State. If Cal could face Utah instead of Arizona in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament, that would be huge, so even though tonight's loss was ugly, that doesn't change the fact that a lot is still riding on Saturday's game at Arizona State.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 
   

Bear Territory Tuesday: Cal has to get everybody on the same page

     Cal lost their second meeting with Stanford on Saturday by the score of 72-61, giving Stanford a 2-0 sweep of the season series. Stanford as a result improves to 17-9 overall and 8-6 in the Pac-12 while Cal falls to 16-11 overall and 6-8 in the Pac-12. Cal needs to rebound quickly from Saturday's loss and get ready for a really tough four game stretch to finish the season.
 
     Cal's remaining schedule goes as follows: Wednesday, February 25 vs. Oregon (10-5) at 8:00 PM PST on ESPNU. Sunday, March 1 vs. Oregon State (8-7) at 12:00 PM PST on Pac-12 Networks. Thursday, March 5 at #7 Arizona (12-2) at 6:00 PM PST on ESPN2. Saturday, March 7 at Arizona State (7-7) at 11:30 AM PST on Pac-12 Networks.

    Cal's remaining schedule is very daunting: All four schools are ahead of Cal in the conference standings, two of the four remaining schools (Oregon and Oregon State) are schools that Cal hasn't yet faced, one of the games (@Arizona) is almost a guaranteed loss, and at a minimum Cal has to win three of their remaining four games.

     Cal is really behind the 8-ball and what's scary is that their present situation looks way better than anything we could have imagined after their hideous 1-6 start in the Pac-12. Cal was on the cusp of complete self-destruction and now they've at least restored a sense of dignity and pride. However, dignity and pride does't get you into the NCAA tournament. Playing good basketball does, and that's what Cal has to do in each and every game they play from here on out.

     The biggest problem for Cal all season has been their inability to get everybody on the same page. David Kravish for example had a career game against Stanford, posting 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while Tyrone Wallace only had 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists. Cal won't win any of their remaining games if only one or two of their key players play well while the rest of the team goes stupid. Cal really needs all of its players to step up. Especially Tyrone Wallace, David Kravish, Jabari Bird, and Jordan Mathews.

     The bench of course has to step up, too, but as Cuonzo Martin said in his press conference before the Stanford game, role players aren't expected to come off the bench and be your best players. They're on the bench for a reason and so if the team is going to have success, it has to start with the stars and the bench players have to feed off of their success.

     What's frustrating for Cal is that they have the potential to be a very good team and yet they haven't established any sort of consistency: Tyrone Wallace is one of the best point guards in the country, David Kravish is one of the best big men, Jordan Mathews is one of the best shooters, and Jabari Bird has athleticism and talent that makes NBA scouts drool. If all four guys are playing well at the same time, Cal can beat anybody in the country for the exception of maybe Kentucky and Virginia. The issue is that there hasn't been one game all season in which all four guys played well. It's usually just been Tyrone Wallace and he can't at all be expected to carry the team on his shoulders.

     If Cal wants to win three of their remaining four games and give themselves any hope of winning the Pac-12 tournament, they have to get Wallace, Bird, Mathews, and Kravish playing well together. It's that simple. If those four guys can figure out how to gel and all get the most out of each other, Cal could maybe go on another four game winning streak in Las Vegas. If they can't, they will be praying for a home game in the NIT.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 
   

Bear Territory Thursday: Looking ahead to Cal's huge game at Stanford

     Cal will travel to Maples Pavilion on Saturday to take on Stanford in a game that is huge for both teams. Cal enters the game 16-10 overall and 6-7 in the PAC-12 while Stanford enters the game 16-9 overall and 7-6 in the PAC-12. Ironically, after it appeared as though both schools were heading in opposite directions, they now find themselves in almost exactly the same position. For Stanford, a win could vault them to a top-four seed in the PAC-12. For Cal, a win gets them back in the mix to maybe land a top-four seed in the PAC-12 tournament.

     The top four seeds in the PAC-12 tournament get first round byes, an advantage that both Cal and Stanford would love to have. Given that Utah and Arizona are locked into the top-two spots and UCLA likely the #3 spot, it's unlikely that Stanford and Cal both get first round byes in the PAC-12 tournament. That's what makes Saturday's game so huge. Both teams are in desperate need of improving their positioning for the PAC-12 tournament and only one of them can get a bye.

     As far as at-large bids for the NCAA tournament are concerned, Cal and Stanford need this win. In order to have a shot at the big dance, Cal needs to win against Stanford on Saturday, hold serve at home the following week against Oregon and Oregon State, and then get a split on the road against Arizona and Arizona State. In addition, they'll also need a strong showing in the PAC-12 tournament, which is why that #4 seed is huge.

     As for Stanford, a loss against Cal would be very bad. Stanford has had the win at Texas as sort of a "signature win" to have in their back pocket, but now that Texas is unranked, that win suddenly doesn't mean as much. In addition, their win over UConn doesn't amount to much since UConn is also unranked and just 14-10 overall. Despite having a stronger start to their season, Stanford appears to be just as much in need of quality wins as Cal.

   
     What helps Cal is that they got the split in the Rocky Mountains by beating Colorado, whereas Stanford got swept by both Colorado and Utah. Cal is coming into this game having won five of their last six games, whereas Stanford is coming into the game having lost four of their last five. Cal definitely has found its groove as of late whereas Stanford appears to have lost theirs.

     A big factor in the polarizing directions that both teams have taken is that Cal sophomore shooting guard Jabari Bird is now healthy after suffering a stress reaction in his foot and Stanford freshman forward Reid Travis is just recovering from a stress reaction in his leg. Bird is finding his groove, scoring 21 points against Utah and 16 points against UCLA, whereas Travis has been held scoreless in the last two games. Both players are important to their respective teams and it has shown in recent games.

     If Cal wants to beat Stanford on Saturday, there are four things they need to do: Get point guard Tyrone Wallace into a groove, get solid production off the bench, keep Stanford off the glass, and slow down Stanford senior point guard Chasson Randle.

     Tyrone Wallace is the heart and soul of this Cal team. He does everything for them. He scores, dishes assists, rebounds, and plays good defense. If he doesn't have a big game, there is no way Cal can win. In addition, if Cal wants to get other players going like Jabari Bird and Jordan Mathews on the wing as well as David Kravish in the post, they need to have Tyrone Wallace attacking the basket and making plays.

     Cal also needs solid production off the bench. When guys like Brandon Chauca, Dwight Tarwater, and Sam Singer get into a rhythm, Cal suddenly has a really scary eight man rotation. When those guys aren't on their game, Cal really struggles since they start asking a lot from their starting five.

     Keeping Stanford off the glass will be huge. Reid Travis who I mentioned is a banger inside as is  Stanford center Stefan Nastic. Cal has had problems defending inside, so it will be huge for them to grab as many rebounds as they can, limiting the opportunities for those guys to get buckets inside.

     Last but certainly not least, Cal has to make sure Chasson Randle doesn't have a big game. In a press conference regarding Saturday's game, Cal head coach Cuonzo Martin said about Chasson Randle: "He hits big shots. We need to limit his touches, play him aggressive, and fight through those ball screens."  Martin recognizes that keeping Randle quiet is key and they have to especially lock down on him in crunch time.

     As for what Stanford needs to do to win this game, they need to make sure Cal doesn't succeed at doing the things I said they need to do. If Stanford can keep Tyrone Wallace quiet, limit Cal's bench production, dominate on the glass, and have Chasson Randle steal the show, they'll win the game. It's that simple.

     As far as what my prediction is, I think Cal is going to win. I'm not just saying that because I'm a Cal graduate and a passionate fan. I'm saying that because of the recent trends I've seen from both teams over the last five games. Cal has their swagger back and has a ton of confidence coming into this game. The same cannot be said for Stanford, who is limping into this game.

     While it is true that Stanford will be extra motivated to defend their home floor, I do believe that Cal has just as much motivation given that they lost to Stanford at home earlier this year. Cal wants to get some revenge and if anything hurt Stanford's NCAA tournament resume. The motivation is there for both teams to win, and so I'm going with Cal because they come into this game with more momentum and confidence. Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Thursday: Cal enters Rocky Mountain road trip with a lot of momentum

     Cal's Rocky Mountain road trip starts tonight at Colorado at 6:00 PM PST and concludes Sunday at #11 Utah at 5:30 PM PST. This is undoubtedly the toughest road trip Cal will go on all season, and thankfully they are entering this road trip with a lot of momentum, having won their last four games against Washington State, Washington, USC, and UCLA. Three of those four games were decided by two points or less, but for Cal any win is a good win after the way they started Pac-12 play (1-6).

     Cal's hot winning streak has vaulted them to 7th in the Pac-12 with a 5-6 record in the conference, which is huge just in terms of their positioning for the Pac-12 tournament. A top-four seed and a first round bye in the Pac-12 tournament is now in sight, which in and of itself is a miracle judging by how poor their season started.

     What's better is that the team seems to have a lot of confidence in who they are. In their post-game press conference after defeating UCLA, Jabari Bird said about their turnaround "We're on cloud nine". The confidence can be seen across the board in all players. Dwight Tarwater hit the game winning shot to beat UCLA, Tyrone Wallace hit the game-winning three at the buzzer to defeat USC, and Sam Singer hit the game-winning three to defeat Washington. As for Jabari Bird, against UCLA he posted 16 points and was playing with way more energy, passion, and excitement than we have seen from him all season.

     The player who has undergone the biggest metamorphosis in this four game winning streak is Sam Singer. We've all known how great of a pass-first point guard he is and what he brings on defense, but his shot has been faulty over the course of his young career. But ever since he hit that game-winner in Washington, he has suddenly morphed into a three-point shooting threat, shooting 3-4 from beyond the arc against UCLA. In the post-game press conference after the UCLA game, Singer said "I knew at some point they were going to start falling. It's about keep shooting confidently and keep working hard."

     Singer's transformation is huge for the team because the team has been in desperate need of other guys to score besides Jabari Bird, Tyrone Wallace, David Kravish, and Jordan Mathews. When Cal gets other guys scoring the ball besides their "Big Four", Cal is a very tough and dangerous team. Singer in particular becomes a very dangerous player because he does everything else on the court extremely well.

     With all this confidence and momentum, what can we expect from Cal in this tough road trip to the Rocky Mountains? I think a split is conceivable, but a sweep is highly unlikely. This has much more to do with who they are playing than how they are playing. There are three factors that make this road trip tough: They're on the road, they're playing at high elevation, and they are playing one of the best teams in the country in Utah.

     Utah is ranked #11 at the moment and they haven't lost a game at home all season. Utah fans can get pretty crazy when their teams are doing well, so I anticipate that Salt Lake City will be a fairly hostile environment for Cal. Cal should not at all expect to win that game. As for tonight's game against Colorado, I think odds are good Cal gets the win, especially since they are coming in with a lot of momentum. Colorado is favored by 7 points, but I think the game can be a lot closer than that. Colorado is #9 in the Pac-12 with a 4-6 record in the conference, so there really isn't anything particularly intimidating about them other than the altitude.

      Cal should feel really confident that they can win tonight. If they win tonight, Cal will then be going into Salt Lake City on a five game winning streak, and at that point they can just play footloose and fancy free. All the pressure will be on Utah and none of it will be on Cal. If Cal gets the win at Utah as well as at Colorado, then their season will go from having a faint pulse to make the NCAA tournament to having a legitimate chance.

     Teams do get rewarded for finishing the season strong as well as get punished for finishing the season weak. If Cal gets both wins in the Rockies, they will be in a prime position to finish the season very strong with their next game being at Stanford, a game that I will preview next week.

     In conclusion, Cal basketball is looking a hell of a lot better than it was two weeks ago. They've won four straight games, vaulted to 7th in the conference, and the team is playing with a tremendous amount of confidence. Hopefully they can continue to build off of their success and shock the nation this week in the Rocky Mountains. Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Thursday: Is there life for Cal?

     Right when it appeared as though their season was over, the California Golden Bears somehow managed to get two gutty wins on the road against Washington State and Washington last week, giving the Cal faithful a flicker of hope that the season could be salvaged. When Sam Singer hit the game-winning three against Washington, not only did I scream at the top of my lungs, I realized that there may be some hope for Cal to turn its season around.

     I understand that I've been talking about Cal needing to "turn its season around" for the past month, but perhaps they finally turned the corner of sorts up in the Pacific Northwest. What makes things so much better is that this weekend they have two home games against USC (tonight) and UCLA (Saturday), so it is certainly conceivable that Cal enters their Rocky Mountain road trip on a four game winning streak. Knowing Cal, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they lost both games, but all the same, a four game winning streak looks like a serious possibility and that should make Cal fans very excited and nervous for this weekend.

     What I'm going to say next is all too familiar for those of you who read my weekly Cal basketball reports: Cal needs to win both games at home this weekend. Like every game for the past month, these next two games against the Southern California schools are must win games for Cal. If they win both games, there is hope for a split in the Rocky Mountains against Utah and Colorado before coming back to the Bay Area to give Stanford some payback. If Cal splits or loses both games this weekend, then all momentum from these last two wins is lost.

     Cal has unfortunately put themselves in a situation where no win really saves them and every loss really hurts them. Even if they win both games this weekend, they will still be 5-6 in the PAC-12 with that horrible loss to CSU-Bakersfield hanging over their heads. What I'm saying is that Cal's NCAA tournament resume is still likely beyond repair, but that doesn't mean they don't have anything to play for. They still have seeding in the PAC-12 tournament to play for as well as securing an NIT bid in the likely event that they miss the NCAA tournament.

     The world of college hoops is certainly an up and down world, and Cal fans got a taste of that this past week when they watched their team get two dramatic wins on the road. What Cal fans can only hope for is some sort of consistency in the direction of winning basketball games. A four game winning streak would certainly be a step in the right direction and a reason for Cal fans to smile in what has overall been a disappointing season.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Bear Territory Thursday: How hot should the seat be for Cuonzo Martin?

                                          (Credit: Calbears.com. Click here for source) 

     The California Men's Basketball team got absolutely flogged by Arizona State and #6 Arizona last week at home. The Arizona State game ended in an embarrassing 79-44 final score and the Arizona game ended almost as badly 73-50. Tonight Cal faces off against Washington State on the road at 8:00 PM PST on Pac-12 Networks and on Sunday, Cal will face Washington on the road at 12:00 PM PST on Pac-12 Networks. Rather than breaking down what went wrong in their last two games and give my usual "here's what Cal needs to fix" routine, I will instead address the hot seat that head coach Cuonzo Martin should be sitting on.

     At the moment, Cal is 11-9 overall and an abysmal 1-6 in the Pac-12. What's worse is that on average, in Pac-12 play, Cal loses by the score of 72.7-58.7, which is a point differential of -14 on average. In addition, Cal has lost each of their last five games by at least 10 points. What do these numbers show? These numbers show that Cal has not even remotely been competitive in any of their recent games.

     If Cal was losing these games by five points or fewer, or even by single digits, one could try to put some lipstick on the pig and say that Cal is at least competitive and that they just need to finish games. But with all of these losses being by double digits, there is no way that any sort of positive spin can be attributed to them.

     Cal at the moment is playing terrible basketball and at some point their head coach Cuonzo Martin has to start taking some responsibility. I've so far been a fan of Cuonzo Martin. He says all the right things in his press conferences, he seems aware of a lot of the same concerns that I have as a fan/analyst, and yet his "wisdom" isn't translating into wins. As a matter of fact, the team has regressed over the course of the season with each game being more and more unbearable to watch. This regression has to make one question whether or not Cuonzo Martin is the right man for the job.

      I do have specific reasons for why I question Cuonzo Martin's coaching in addition to the fact that the team is getting their clocks cleaned every night. These reasons have to do with things I've heard from people close to the team as well as my own personal observations.

     The first reason I question Cuonzo Martin's coaching has to do with conditioning. I've heard from two sources close to the team that the team really stepped it up in terms of the amount of conditioning that they were doing during the offseason. One of these sources even told me that a player was crying after the intense workouts that Cuonzo Martin had put them through.

     If Cal was winning more ball games this year, I could easily justify Cuonzo Martin ramping up the intensity of their workouts. But so long as the team struggles, I have to wonder whether or not this team is getting overworked and is reaching a point of burnout. Looking at the Arizona State game as an example, the team looked absolutely tired the whole game and they hadn't played in over a week! It's certainly possible that Cuonzo Martin is overworking his players, which would explain their poor play on both ends of the floor.

     The second reason I question Cuonzo Martin's coaching is that the team is having a difficult time scoring the basketball and getting into an offensive rhythm. The type of offensive system that a coach implements is huge to the success of his team and when a team can't score, one has to question the system. Especially when the coach has quality players.

     I notice a lot of the time that Cal doesn't score early on in the shot clock and that they slow the tempo down, which in my opinion doesn't really suit the player personnel too well. This team needs to be running up and down the floor like they were against Syracuse instead of slowing the game down and waiting to shoot until the shot clock is in single digits. Cuonzo Martin appears to perhaps be guilty of trying to make the players fit his system instead of creating a system that fits his players.

     Third, there is no real rhyme or reason to the adjustments that Cuonzo Martin makes to the rotation. I was all in favor of his decision to start Kingsley Okoroh at center since this team has struggled to match up with teams in the post, but then he relegated Okoroh to an off the bench role and went with Dwight Tarwater at the power forward position who is very undersized for the position.

     In addition, freshman point guard Brandon Chauca appears to be in Cuonzo Martin's doghouse, hardly seeing the floor during the last five games. Given that Chauca can score the basketball and knock down some outside shots, one has to question why he isn't getting more minutes when scoring is one of this team's biggest issues.
   
     Lastly, this team is very schizophrenic. Some nights they really bring it and other nights they don't. Such inconsistencies in their effort and play has to make one question the pre-game preparation that Cuonzo Martin does. Especially since this team routinely finds themselves getting whipped like a chow in the first half.

     How hot should the seat be for Cuonzo Martin? I think that the seat he sits on should be very hot. Cuonzo Martin is getting paid a lot of money to coach at Cal, which is the #1 public university in the world and traditionally one of the better basketball programs in the Pac-12. Cal doesn't expect to compete for national championships, but they do expect to be a top four team in the Pac-12 and make the NCAA tournament on a regular basis. So far this team is not even close to living up to those expectations and Cuonzo Martin has to be the one accountable for it.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Thursday: Cal has to turnaround its season starting tonight against ASU

     Tonight at 8:00 PM PST, Cal will take on Arizona State in a battle between two teams that are desperately looking for another PAC-12 win. Cal comes into the game 11-7 overall and just 1-4 in the PAC-12. Arizona State comes into the game 9-9 overall and also 1-4 in the PAC-12. For both teams, tonight is obviously huge, but I will focus on why this game is huge for Cal and what they need to do to win.

     There are several reasons why this game is huge for Cal, so let me start with what is most obvious: They are 1-4 in the PAC-12! Cal has to start getting wins in the conference not just to improve their NCAA Tournament resume (which at the moment looks really weak), but also to improve their seeding in the PAC-12 tournament. If Cal wants to have any shot of making the NCAA tournament, they need to have a strong showing in the PAC-12 tournament. If Cal goes into the PAC-12 tournament as a double-digit seed or any seed lower than 8, they'll be in serious trouble and if they lose tonight, a low seed in the PAC-12 tournament will look very likely.

     In addition to PAC-12 seeding, Cal has a more immediate or pressing reason to win tonight's game.  #7 Arizona is coming to town on Saturday. The Arizona Wildcats play Stanford tonight before making their trip up to the East Bay. Win or lose, Arizona will be motivated to avenge the loss they had last year at Berkeley. Cal has a very winnable game tonight against the Sun Devils, so they better take advantage, because there is no telling what beat down Arizona may have in store for Cal.

     I don't mean to be pessimistic about Cal's chances to win on Saturday, but in all truth, I don't expect Cal to repeat what happened last year. Cal needs to get this win tonight because it's a game that they should win. In addition, if Cal wants to beat #7 Arizona on Saturday, they better build some good momentum by beating Arizona State tonight.

     Lastly, Cal needs to win tonight's game because in effect, their season is at a crossroads. If they win both games this week, there could be some hope for them to turn their season around. Next week Cal travels to the state of Washington to face the Huskies and the Cougars. Both schools are very beatable, which means wins this weekend could propel Cal towards a four or five game winning streak.

     If Cal loses both games this weekend, Cal's season will essentially be in the gutter and only a miraculous run to win the PAC-12 tournament will prevent Cal from missing the NCAA tournament. Putting the NCAA tournament aside, if Cal wants to make a deep run in the NIT, they'll want to get wins this week just to improve their seeding for that tournament.

     Getting back to tonight's game, what does Cal need to specifically do to win? The first thing they need to do is make sure Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird, and Jordan Mathews get into a groove early. Those guys are the best scorers on the team and it will be essential for Cal to get them off to a good start. In addition, Cal will need to get David Kravish touches inside and get him some easy looks. In Cal's lone win in the PAC-12 against Washington, Kravish had a huge night, scoring 21 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. I think that pretty much says it all in terms of how important he is to the success of this team.

     As for what Arizona State is good at, they have a lot of balance on their team, with four guys ( 6'10 F Eric Jacobsen, 6'6 F Savon Goodman, 6'4 guard Gerry Blakes, and 6'5 guard Shaquille McKissic) scoring in double figures on average every night. Cal will want to keep all four guys under wraps, especially Jacobsen since Cal has had a hard time defending in the paint. If Cal does that and doesn't go stupid offensively, they will win the game.

     In conclusion, tonight's game against Arizona State is huge. Cal needs to win this game to get some sort of momentum going to finish the season strong. Cal has reason to believe that they can turnaround their season, but the turnaround has to start tonight. If Cal doesn't get the win tonight, I see no reason to believe that a turnaround will ever come.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord  

Bear Territory Tuesday: Why is the Cal Men's Basketball team struggling?

     You won't find a more schizophrenic team in college hoops right now than the California Golden Bears. One night they are playing an elite Wisconsin team tough and the next night they lose to a 2-10 CSU-Bakersfield team that plays in a very weak WAC conference. That same schizophrenic play continued this past weekend when Cal defeated #21 ranked Washington before falling to a very weak Washington State team. 

     The easy answer to diagnosing Cal's inconsistent play is that they don't have Jabari Bird healthy, but that feels more like a cop-out than it does a legitimate diagnosis. Jabari Bird is expected to be back from his stress fracture injury in less than two weeks and possibly as soon as the Stanford game on the 14th, and I am not at all confident that his return will cure Cal's up and down play. 

     I don't deny that Jabari Bird's absence has hurt this team. He's the third scoring option behind Jordan Mathews and Tyrone Wallace who both are having a hard time getting solid offensive production out of anybody else on the team including senior power forward David Kravish. I get all of that. I also understand that Bird has tremendous upside and that it may only be a matter of time before he explodes into a lottery pick in the NBA draft. Losing a guy like that really hurts a team like Cal, who quite honestly doesn't have much talent outside of their starting five. 

     But as I stated above, there is more to Cal's woes than just Jabari Bird's absence. There seems to be an apathy on the team that has the tendency to show up at the beginning of games.  I don't know why, but at the beginning of every game, Cal gets off to these really slow starts in which they struggle to score the basketball and get into an offensive rhythm. 

     One thing I've noticed is that is that teams are using zones and it takes Cal a while to figure them out. CSU-Bakersfield for example used a zone as did Princeton and both times it was very effective against Cal. The goal of a zone defense, if done properly is to defend the perimeter and force teams to beat you from the outside. 

     Since Cal's only reliable three-point shooter is Jordan Mathews, it makes sense that a zone would be effective against them. Especially when guys like Sam Singer and Roger Moute a Bidias resort to jacking up threes instead of driving and attacking the basket. The zone also appears to lull Tyrone Wallace to sleep and make him play more passively, keeping him out of the lane and making him pass the ball to those guys who can't shoot well. So all across the board, the zone is certainly giving Cal trouble. 

     But the biggest problem that I've noticed hasn't been Cal's offensive play, as poor as that has been. It has actually been Cal's poor defense, especially on the interior. Cal's defense on the perimeter is pretty solid. Tyrone Wallace, Roger Moute a Bidias, and Sam Singer are all fantastic perimeter defenders, but inside Christian Behrens and David Kravish are having a hard time playing defense. 

     If there is a common link between the CSU-Baksersfield loss and the Washington State loss, it is that Cal got murdered in the paint like King Duncan in Macbeth. Washington State power forward Josh Hawkinson had 18 points and 13 rebounds against them and CSU-Bakersfield center Aly Ahmed had 19 points and 10 rebounds against them. Cal's inability to stop both players is what ultimately did them in and in my opinion is the biggest reason why they lost. 

     David Kravish has a track record of playing good defense inside, but Christian Behrens on the other hand doesn't have that same track record and he unfortunately is undersized for a power forward, which makes it difficult for him to play defense. This is why I think Cuonzo Martin needs to play freshman center Kingsley Okoroh more, who stands at 7'1 and has actually played well defensively in the paint.

      Does playing Kingsley Okoroh more solve Cal's interior defensive woes? It may not totally get rid of the problem, but I think it would alleviate the problem substantially. Against CSU-Bakersfield Okoroh only played 10 minutes and against Washington State he played only 15 minutes. Given that Kingsley Okoroh and David Kravish are the only legitimate post defenders on the team, it stands to reason that Okoroh has to get more than 15 minutes of action if Cal doesn't want to get killed in the paint. 

     I personally think if his minutes were ramped up to around 25 minutes per game,  Cal would allow a lot fewer points in the paint, which I think would make them a lot better. If he were playing those kind of minutes against CSU-Bakersfield and Washington State, Aly Ahmed and Josh Hawkinson would not have had the kind of success that they did, which likely means Cal wins both games. 

     If Cal wants to have success on this week's road trip @USC (1/7) and @UCLA (1/11), they have to make sure they don't get killed in the paint. The way to make sure that doesn't happen is to play Kingsley Okoroh more and possibly start him. He's a 7'1 center with a knack for blocking shots which is what they need more of. Giving him more minutes doesn't solve all of their problems, but it should prevent teams from having so much success inside. 

     USC and UCLA are not impressive this year and Cal on paper has way more talent than either team. But both UCLA and USC have guys who can kill Cal inside, which is why I'm worried. USC has a kid named Nikola Jovanovic who as I recall gave Cal trouble inside last year and UCLA has a kid named Kevon Looney who can be a handful inside. If those guys both go off against Cal, Cal will likely lose both games. If Cal can contain them and keep them pinned below or right at their season averages, then Cal will likely win. It's that simple. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord