Pac-12 foes will lock horns when the Washington Huskies (15-10) face the California Golden Bears (17-8) at Alaska Airlines Arena. The game gets underway at 11:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 18 and can be seen on FS1.
The Huskies lost a tough one against Colorado 81-80 in their last matchup. Marquese Chriss put in a solid effort despite the loss for Washington, recording 18 points and 10 rebounds to earn his fourth double-double of the season. The Golden Bears are coming off an 83-71 win against Oregon State in their last outing. Jabari Bird led the game in scoring by registering 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting.
Over the last five games, Chriss has been playing at a high level for the Huskies. During that stretch, he has averaged 19.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 0.6 steals, and 2.0 blocks.
The top-notch California defense should have a clear edge in terms of eFG%. It ranks 11th in the nation in forcing misses (opponents’ eFG% of 43.9%), while the cold-shooting Washington offense is 271st with a mark of 47.9%.
The Huskies are looking to build on their records of 15-10 Straight Up (SU) and 14-10 Against The Spread (ATS). The Huskies will be looking to pick it up in this one after recent offensive struggles. In the last 10 games, Washington has only averaged 72.4 points per game compared to the 84.3 they’ve averaged on the season. The Huskies are one of the best in Division I in terms of free throws made, making a stellar 19.0 per game. The Washington defense is doing better against opposing offenses during the last 10 games. It is allowing an average of 70.3 points per game, well under their season average of 80.5.
Across the court, the Golden Bears have records of 13-12 ATS and 17-8 SU. The Golden Bears have shown improvement on the offensive end over the most recent 10 game stretch. Over that span, California is averaging 82.9 PPG, significantly more than their season average of 75.0. The Golden Bears convert their shots at a high percentage, ranking 46th in the country at .470. The California defense has allowed an average of 86.0 points per game during the last 10 games, higher than their season average of 66.7. The California defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only .392 shooting from the field to its opponents. They average 5.0 blocks per game, good for 35th in the nation.
This game marks the season’s first head-to-head clash between Washington and California. Their previous game was a Golden Bears victory, bringing their SU record in their most recent games to 6-4. Furthermore, with a 6-4 record, California has the advantage ATS. Washington and California each held the edge in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) once in their last five meetings.
Predictions: SU Winner – Wash, ATS Winner – Wash
Notes
Washington is one of the top-scoring teams, averaging 84.3 points per game (ranked fifth). California allows 66.7 points per game (ranked 52nd).
The California Golden Bears have a defensive rating of 98.8 (ranked 80th), while the Washington Huskies have an offensive rating of 106.5 (ranked 168th).
Washington averages 79.2 possessions per game, scoring 1.065 points on each possession. While California averages fewer possessions per game with 67.7, they score more points per possession with 1.109.
Washington has an average effective field goal percentage of 47.9%. California is 4-3 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
The Washington Huskies average 22.0 three point attempts per game and are 11-8 when attempting at least 20 in a game. The California Golden Bears average 18.0 attempts and have a formidable record (10-1) when attempting 20 or more.
Among all teams in the nation, Washington is the number one team in blocked shots, registering 7.1 per game. California ranks lower in total blocks at 35th (5.0 per game).
The Washington Huskies are among the best offensive rebounding teams in the country (ranked fourth). The California Golden Bears rank 27th in defensive rebounding.
Washington averages a forced turnover rate of 21.2% this season. California has a 6-4 record when it suffers a turnover rate equal to or exceeding this.
