MBB Preview: Mizzou takes on Cal in ACC-SEC Challenge

Dec 3, 2024 | Uncategorized

Written By

Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation

The Tigers have a chance to pick up their first power-conference win of the season.

Predict the Trifecta: Who will be Mizzou’s top three performers tonight?


Since losing to a now No. 16 Memphis squad, Mizzou has picked up six-straight home wins against mid-major foes. They take on an opponent which has faced similar in California, who are also 6-1 and have the slight advantage of having beaten a power-conference foe in USC.

California’s only loss comes on the road to a 7-1 Vanderbilt squad, which is also their only game prior to this against an SEC opponent. They lost that game 85-69. Headlining the Golden Bears is Andrej Stojakovic and Jeremiah Wilkinson, two underclassmen averaging a combined 28.4 points-per-game with Wilkinson doing it mostly off of the bench. These are two of the best underclassmen you can put in your back court so how will Mizzou react?

The Starters

Mizzou (6-1)

G: Tony Perkins (SR, 8.6 PPG)

G: Tamar Bates (SR, 11.9 PPG)

G: Annor Boateng (FR, 4.2 PPG)

F: Mark Mitchell (JR, 11.0 PPG)

C: Josh Gray (SR, 3.1 PPG)

Notable Sixth Man: Trent Pierce (FR, 8.7 PPG)

California (6-1)

G: Andrej Stojakovic (SO, 17.7 PPG)

G: Christian Tucker (SR, 2.9 PPG)

F: Rytis Petraitis (JR, 7.3 PPG)

F: Joshua Ola-Joseph (JR, 7.0 PPG)

C: Mady Sissoko (SR, 6.1 PPG)

Notable Sixth Man: Jeremiah Wilkinson (FR, 10.7 PPG)

Note: These starting lineups are projected.

Get to know California: The ACC’s newest coastal character

I’ll call this the Cuonzo Martin Bowl (editor’s note: I approve). Both teams have been coached by Cuonzo, as he led Cal to its highest seed in the tournament in school history which got him the job at Missouri. Since Martin’s departure, the two coaches Cal have hired were a staggering 54-104 in the six years after. The new coach at the helm is Mark Madsen, who after leading Utah Valley from the depths of the WAC to two regular season WAC championships, is in his second season after a 13-19 display last year. It’s a different ball game entirely now for Cal, as they are in their first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference thanks to realignment.

Historically, Cal has not been a good basketball program despite some glory years in the early 90s and early 2000s specifically under Ben Braun. In its 116-year history, Cal has only finished the season ranked in the AP Top 25 five times, and three of those times were prior to 1960. Cal does have a national championship, as they won one in 1958-59 as they were thwarted in their pursuit of a back-to-back in the championship game the year after.

Looking at pro talent, its most notable alumni is Jaylen Brown who was a part of that 2015-16 Cuonzo Martin team. Additionally, California has produced Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Jason Kidd which really rounds out the list of most notable players. It’s odd to see a team in such a recruiting hotbed, not actually have a lot of successful players.

3 Keys to the Game

Dominate the Fastbreak

Vanderbilt put out a formula to put this California team down earlier in the season, and they mostly did it in transition. They outscored the Golden Bears 30-10 on the fastbreak, which was a huge difference maker in a 16-point decision. Look for guys like Tamar Bates and Tony Perkins to capitalize on that weakness this game.

Generate Turnovers

In the same game, Vanderbilt forced a whopping 20 turnovers for Cal compared to their eight and dominated the points off of turnovers battle. So many of their steals came off of reading passes to the wing and just intercepting them and going straight into transition. They dominated points off of turnovers 32-7, which didn’t even require them to emphasize the glass.

Clean Basketball around the Rim

Stojakovic and Wilkinson are some of the best players in the country at generating fouls, and this Cal team will be looking to get to the line. Players like Mark Mitchell and Josh Gray are going to be vital to rim protection, and they will need to keep their hands straight up because their frontcourt and backcourt generate lots of contact going to the hoop. Contest the shots, make them tough shots, and win in transition the other way off of the rebound.

Game Prediction

My prediction: Mizzou 68, California 58

This could be a game where good habits that have been built over the non-con for Mizzou finally materialize into a win that means something. They have kU next, and this could be a big one to build some last ounces of confidence before that crowd. I think Mizzou will need to make an emphasis of stopping everyone else on Cal, and being content that Stojakovic is going to beat him. Similar to players like Elias Ralph earlier in the year. I’m expecting Tamar Bates to have a pretty good game, and get lots of steals on the wing.

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