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Oregon State Basketball: Opponent Preview - California Golden Bears (Game 1)

Northwest University has been replaced with California.

By The_Coach
NCAA Basketball: Pac-12 Tournament-Califonia vs Stanford Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

California Golden Bears (0-0)

  • Head Coach: Mark Fox (2nd Season)
  • Top Performer: N/A (N/A)
  • Points For: N/A (N/A)
  • Points Against: N/A (N/A)
  • Last Game/Streak: N/A (N/A)

The Skinny

At the eleventh hour, Oregon State’s opening day opponent got switched to California, meaning that the Beavers will now start the 2020-2021 campaign with a non-conference tilt against a Pac-12 foe and their match-up with Northwest University (NAIA) will be moved to Friday morning.

Focusing on the Golden Bears, the test obviously becomes much tougher, especially as the Beavers will now be tasked with stopping guard Matt Bradley, a likely All-Pac-12 talent featured below in our Player To Watch and the rest of a rising California squad.

Around Bradley, forward Andre Kelly also returns as a versatile oversized wing piece, as does Grant Anticevich, who will serve in a similar spot. Seven-footer Lars Thiemann from Germany will also be a crucial piece on the interior, to help out two crucial transfers for California in guards Makale Foreman (Stony Brook) and Ryan Betley (Pennsylvania).

In short, we could talk about all the players left and right for some time but it’s all about who is truly ready to play in this one. The first game of a clearly pandemic-effected season will be unique. Most of us don’t really know what to expect sans fans, raucous environments and concrete scheduling.

The fact of the matter is on Wednesday afternoon, a ball gets thrown up and tipped and we get to enjoy it. So just kick back, relax and be grateful and thankful for all of the greatness that college sports gives us.

Player To Watch

Matt Bradley (Junior - Guard)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NOV 19 Legends Classic - Cal v St John’s Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

One of my favorite players in the Pac-12, Bradley averaged 17.5 points and 4.9 rebounds last season for the Golden Bears as the unequivocal leader of Mark Fox’s California rebuild. He looks more like he should be patrolling the second level of defense for the Golden Bears’ football team with his chiseled, 6’ 4”, 220-pound frame, but make no mistake about it, he’s a one-man wrecking crew on the hardwood.

Game Info

  • Date: Wednesday, November 25th
  • Time: 4:00 PM PT
  • Location: Gill Coliseum (Corvallis, Oregon)
  • Coverage: Pac-12 Networks