Read below for a full UNC vs Cal prediction and preview.
For the second time in a matter of weeks, UNC will be hosting a brand new member of the ACC. This is the sixth meeting between the two programs, but these teams have not faced each other since Cal defeated the Bill Guthridge-coached Tar Heels on Dec. 29, 1998, in Oakland. That loss ended UNC’s four-game winning streak in the series.
The two teams met in the 1997 Sweet 16, in Dean Smith’s final season, that saw several players go on to have Hall of Fame careers, including Vince Carter, Antwan Jamieson, and Cal’s Tony Gonzalez.
General Information:
Teams: North Carolina (11-6, 4-1) and California (8-8, 1-4)
Tip time: 7 p.m. EST
Watch: ACC Network
Listen: WCHL 97.9 FM (Internet Radio)
Latest on Cal basketball:
Despite a slow start to conference play, Andrej Stojakovic is proving to be a driving force being the Golden Bears attack. The sophomore transfer from Stanford leads the ACC in scoring during conference games, averaging 24.2 PPG and just edging out Duke’s Cooper Flagg. Overall, the sophomore from Carmichael, CA is only one of two players in the ACC to average over 20 points.
ELECTRIC.
📺 » ACC Network#GoBears x @AndrejSto2 pic.twitter.com/CuHiMh86pD
— Cal Basketball (@CalMBBall) January 12, 2025
Cal is also getting a lot of work out of their big-man duo of Mady Sissoko and Lee Dort. The two bigs teams currently combine to average 12.3 rebounds per game, a stat that has helped the Golden Bears come into this matchup, ranking 5th in the conference in rebound margin with 4.1.
This is the second season under coach Mark Madsen, who came to Berkeley after four seasons with Utah Valley. Madsen had to rebuild his roster, with 10 of the 11 scholarship newcomers joining the team via the transfer portal. After a 10-win improvement in his first season, Cal is looking for their first winning season since 2016-17.
Latest on UNC basketball:
Carolina comes into this game riding off a victory over Tobacco Road rival NC State, extending their winning streak to three games. Jalen Washington had his first career double-double and had both the game-winning dunk and block to preserve the victory.
Defense turns to offense 😤
📺 ACC Network pic.twitter.com/oPkMVld52W
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) January 11, 2025
Washington is averaging 7.2 points and 6.4 rebounds and shooting 68.2% from the floor in the last five games. His 12 blocks in the last three games is the most since Brice Johnson had 13 in the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
RJ Davis also made history against the Wolfpack. He recorded two assists to become the 13th Tar Heel with 500 career assists. He will need three against Cal to pass Steve Hale for 12th place.
Ian Jackson is continuing his scoring barrage, averaging 23.2 points in his last six games. That stretch included becoming the first freshman since Tyler Hansbrough to score over 20 points in four consecutive games.