Virginia Cavaliers vs
California Golden BearsPredictions & Preview

California Golden Bears Set to Face Virginia Cavaliers in Intriguing College Basketball Matchup at Haas Pavilion

On Wednesday, January 8, 2024, college basketball fans can look forward to an intriguing matchup between the California Golden Bears and the Virginia Cavaliers at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, CA. The Golden Bears, who are slight 2.5-point favorites, will be facing Virginia for the first time since 2016. Opening odds have California favored at -3, with the current line set at California -4. It will be interesting to see how this game unfolds and whether the Golden Bears can cover the spread.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cavaliers +151 | Golden Bears -185
• Spread: Cavaliers +4 (-110) | Golden Bears -4 (-110)
• Total: Over/Under 132 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that California will win straight-up is 65%.

Virginia vs California Stats

Virginia Cavaliers

The Virginia Cavaliers recently suffered a significant defeat to Louisville, continuing their struggles on the offensive side of the ball. Junior guard Andrew Rohde led the team with 16 points in the game. Virginia ranks 217th in the NCAA NET Rankings and is 8-6 this season, with a power ranking of 217. Offensively, the team is ranked 356th, scoring an average of 62.23 points per game. Defensively, they rank 11th, allowing an average of 60.85 points per game. The Cavaliers shoot 44.39% from the field and 38.46% from three-point range. Additionally, they average 31.62 rebounds per game and allow opponents to shoot 39.72% from the field. The team currently has two players with points per game above 9.1. For more information on Virginia's performance, consider our sportsbook promo codes.

California Golden Bears Analysis

The California Golden Bears are currently struggling with a 0-3 conference record and have only won one of their last seven games overall. Despite a recent victory against Northwestern State, they have since suffered three consecutive losses. In their most recent game against Clemson, the Golden Bears struggled defensively, allowing the Tigers to shoot 62.0% from the field. Cal's leading scorer is sophomore guard Andrej Stojakovic, who averages 19.9 points per game. The team ranks 50th in the nation for offensive efficiency but 268th for defensive efficiency. Their power ranking is 247, and they are ranked 109th for offense and 303rd for defense. The Golden Bears have a record of 7-7 overall and are 7-6-1 against the spread.

Cavaliers vs. Golden Bears: Clash of Styles Expected in Slow-Paced Showdown

The upcoming matchup between the Cavaliers and the Golden Bears is expected to result in a slow-paced, grind-it-out game. California typically plays at a faster pace than Virginia, but the Cavaliers excel at controlling the tempo with their deliberate style of play. Despite the Golden Bears' ability to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line, Virginia's strong interior defense and low defensive free-throw rate pose a significant challenge. While California has a proficient offense, their defensive struggles, particularly in defending the three-point shot, could be exploited by Virginia, a team that shoots well from beyond the arc. As the game unfolds, it will be interesting to see which team's strengths ultimately prevail in this anticipated matchup.

Sources: [ 2 ] [ 3 ]