On Sunday at 5:30 PM PST, on ESPNU, Cal men's basketball will take on the Washington State Cougars in Pullman, WA. Cal comes into this game 18-8 overall and 8-5 in Pac-12 play. Washington State comes into this game 9-17 overall and 1-13 in Pac-12 play. This game hub will get underway with my list of five things to look for going into the game.
#1. For Washington State, Josh Hawkinson is the man: Josh Hawkinson is having a hard time leading his team to wins, but that isn't really his fault. He's averaging 15.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game on 45.2% shooting from 3-point range. Those are grown man numbers and he can stretch the floor in addition to holding his own down on the block. Hawkinson is the real deal and he's a tough guy to go up against because he can score inside and out. It will be crucial for Cal to keep him under wraps and not allow him to have a huge game. Thankfully, the Cougars don't have many weapons outside of him, so if Cal can keep Hawkinson from going off, that pretty much should win the game for Cal, assuming they don't play terribly.
#2. Cal should dominate the glass: Outside of Josh Hawkinson, nobody on Washington State averages more than 4 rebounds per game. Hawkinson is Washington State's only post presence. Like, they have literally no other post presence without him. Cal has Kingsley Okoroh and Kameron Rooks to go along with Ivan Rabb inside. Cal's trio of bigs should feast on the glass and make life difficult for Josh Hawkinson.
#3. Jaylen Brown should be able to do his thing: Jaylen Brown is one of the most talented players in the country and at the small forward position, he should really have a fine outing against Washington State. The Cougars don't have anybody who can guard Jaylen Brown effectively or matchup with him. Jaylen Brown should especially flourish in transition and in the open floor. If Cal can control the glass and direct their outlet passes his way, it should be all aboard the Jaylen Brown Slam Dunk Express.
#4. This could be a nice game for some role players to get rolling: If Cal can get off to an early lead and coast to victory, guys like Stephen Domingo, Roger Moute a Bidias, and even Brandon Chauca may find some time on the floor with a chance to make some plays. Cal could really benefit from more bench production and a game against a weak team like Washington State is a great game for guys coming off the bench to find their groove.
#5. Jabari Bird better have a bounce back game: Jabari Bird scored only 2 points on Thursday against Washington, which was a huge disappointment after he won Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. With Washington State being the bottom feeder of the Pac-12, Jabari Bird should use this as an opportunity to give himself another jolt and have a quality game. If Bird has a silent game against Washington State, that will be kinda sad given the week he just had.
Prediction: After getting their breakthrough win on the road in Seattle, I expect Cal to get their second road win of Pac-12 play against an even weaker Washington State team. Cal is a far superior team and Washington State really is in rebuilding mode. Maybe next season they'll be something, but this year, they are the doormat of the Pac-12. I expect Cal to win this game handily by a score of 71-63. There is no reason for this game to be close considering the roll that Cal is on and the way Washington State has played all season. If Cal wins this game period, that will be great, but if they play the way they ought to, they should win this game going away.
Outside of Josh Hawkinson, Washington State has no player Cal should be overly worried about. Junior guard Ike Iroegbu is a solid player averaging 13.8 points per game on 40.8% shooting from 3-point range, so Cal will definitely want to guard the perimeter well since both he and Hawkinson are good perimeter shooters. But even with them being threats from beyond the arc, Cal should still win this game with relative ease. Cal simply has too many weapons.
#1. For Washington State, Josh Hawkinson is the man: Josh Hawkinson is having a hard time leading his team to wins, but that isn't really his fault. He's averaging 15.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game on 45.2% shooting from 3-point range. Those are grown man numbers and he can stretch the floor in addition to holding his own down on the block. Hawkinson is the real deal and he's a tough guy to go up against because he can score inside and out. It will be crucial for Cal to keep him under wraps and not allow him to have a huge game. Thankfully, the Cougars don't have many weapons outside of him, so if Cal can keep Hawkinson from going off, that pretty much should win the game for Cal, assuming they don't play terribly.
#2. Cal should dominate the glass: Outside of Josh Hawkinson, nobody on Washington State averages more than 4 rebounds per game. Hawkinson is Washington State's only post presence. Like, they have literally no other post presence without him. Cal has Kingsley Okoroh and Kameron Rooks to go along with Ivan Rabb inside. Cal's trio of bigs should feast on the glass and make life difficult for Josh Hawkinson.
#3. Jaylen Brown should be able to do his thing: Jaylen Brown is one of the most talented players in the country and at the small forward position, he should really have a fine outing against Washington State. The Cougars don't have anybody who can guard Jaylen Brown effectively or matchup with him. Jaylen Brown should especially flourish in transition and in the open floor. If Cal can control the glass and direct their outlet passes his way, it should be all aboard the Jaylen Brown Slam Dunk Express.
#4. This could be a nice game for some role players to get rolling: If Cal can get off to an early lead and coast to victory, guys like Stephen Domingo, Roger Moute a Bidias, and even Brandon Chauca may find some time on the floor with a chance to make some plays. Cal could really benefit from more bench production and a game against a weak team like Washington State is a great game for guys coming off the bench to find their groove.
#5. Jabari Bird better have a bounce back game: Jabari Bird scored only 2 points on Thursday against Washington, which was a huge disappointment after he won Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. With Washington State being the bottom feeder of the Pac-12, Jabari Bird should use this as an opportunity to give himself another jolt and have a quality game. If Bird has a silent game against Washington State, that will be kinda sad given the week he just had.
Prediction: After getting their breakthrough win on the road in Seattle, I expect Cal to get their second road win of Pac-12 play against an even weaker Washington State team. Cal is a far superior team and Washington State really is in rebuilding mode. Maybe next season they'll be something, but this year, they are the doormat of the Pac-12. I expect Cal to win this game handily by a score of 71-63. There is no reason for this game to be close considering the roll that Cal is on and the way Washington State has played all season. If Cal wins this game period, that will be great, but if they play the way they ought to, they should win this game going away.
Outside of Josh Hawkinson, Washington State has no player Cal should be overly worried about. Junior guard Ike Iroegbu is a solid player averaging 13.8 points per game on 40.8% shooting from 3-point range, so Cal will definitely want to guard the perimeter well since both he and Hawkinson are good perimeter shooters. But even with them being threats from beyond the arc, Cal should still win this game with relative ease. Cal simply has too many weapons.
