Read below for a full Duke vs Cal prediction and preview.
Duke will be welcoming the California Golden Bears to Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time ever. These two programs have only met four previous times, with the last meeting occurring in the semifinals of the 2019 2K Empire Classic. It was a dominate performance by the Blue Devils, winning 87-52 to even the series at two games apiece. The Golden Bears will be the first program from the state of California to travel to Durham since 2015, when Duke defeated Long Beach State on Dec. 30th.
General Information:
Teams: Duke (20-3, 12-1) and California (12-12, 5-8)
Tip time: 9 p.m. EST
Watch: ACC Network
Listen: Blue Devil Sports Network
Latest on California basketball:
The Golden Bears are coming off a less than successful three-game home stand, losing two games by at least nine points. This will also start a closing stretch of the season where five of their final seven regular season games will be away from Berkeley.
Andrej Stojakovic continues to lead the team in scoring, averaging 17.9 points and shooting 42.2% from the field. Against Wake Forest on Saturday, the sophomore scored 10 points and recorded six rebounds on the defensive end.
Throw it down @AndrejSto2
📺 » ACC Network#GoBears pic.twitter.com/LwsGAJJFXO
— Cal Basketball (@CalMBBall) February 9, 2025
Jeremiah Wilkinson, who was awarded the ACC Rookie of the Week for the third time this season, led all Cal shooters with 21 points while going 3-for-8 from beyond the arc. From a defensive perspective, the team has allowed their opponents to get over the 60-point mark in every game since allowing 55 to Division I newcomer Mercyhurst on Nov. 27.
“We just have to step up and guard our yard,” said Wilkinson after the game. “[The team has] got to be able to guard one on one. [Wake Forest] got into the paint; they weren’t missing when they got into the paint. That’s on us to keep them out the paint.”
Latest on Duke basketball:
For the first time since returning from Las Vegas in November, Duke is having to rebound from a loss. This time, the Blue Devils had their 16-game winning streak snapped with a 77-71 loss to Clemson on Saturday.
Cooper Flagg, one of the top freshmen in the country, had an uncharacteristic night on the floor. Going 6-for-17 from the field against Clemson ended a string of 11 straight games of shooting over 40%.
Coop’s got 14 of our last 17 pts 💪 pic.twitter.com/N5KjcfLFoH
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 9, 2025
“I hate it more than anything. Our team hates it,” said coach Jon Scheyer. “So, I know we’re going to have a group that responds and can really get us to a place where we need to be because look, this is what March is. This is what ACC basketball is. Give [Clemson] all the credit in the world. They were tough and it’s a play here or there.”
The Blue Devils have yet to taste defeat inside the confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium this season, a streak of 13 games. Included in that streak is the current No. 1 team in the nation when they defeated Auburn as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.