Cal vs Pepperdine: 2019-20 college basketball game preview, TV Schedule
By Connor Hope
In a game pitting promising, young mid-major team against a rebuilding high-major squad, who will come out on top between California and Pepperdine.
Who: Pepperdine Waves at California Golden Bears
Arena: Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, CA
TV Schedule: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 10 p.m. EST – Pac-12 Network
To start the season, the Pepperdine Waves will travel north to Berkeley, CA to take on the California Golden Bears in a what promises to be a competitive matchup. With each team having completely different expectations, this game provides Pepperdine with an opportunity to pick up a quality win, while Cal will be looking to avoid utter disaster.
Pepperdine, the fourth-place team in the WCC Preseason Poll, is entering the season with the talent and promise to make a legitimate case for an NIT invite. While competing against Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and BYU at the top of the conference will be tough, the Waves have the best chance of the remaining seven conference teams to upset the power three.
In this game, the Waves could legitimately have the three best players on the court, with Colbey Ross, Kameron Edwards, and Kessler Edwards all possibly being better than Cal’s Paris Austin. If they can all deliver on Head Coach Lorenzo Romar’s game plan, the Waves could run away with their first win.
The Golden Bears, however, will not be a team to just roll over and play dead. With Head Coach Mark Fox coming in to bring back a winning culture to the program, and Paris Austin running the offense, Cal should make this one competitive.
Jacobi Gordon is the x-factor in this game for Cal. If he can cash in on his insane athleticism and superior size, the Waves will find it tough to stop his attacks at the rim. This will put the relatively small Waves roster at a huge disadvantage.
Next. Preseason power rankings for 2019-20. dark
In the end, however, the talent for the Waves may be too much for Cal to overcome. While I give the coaching advantage to Mark Fox, Romar’s ability to lean on Ross and the Edwards brothers gives him a good escape. Look for Ross to go off for stretches at a time and Pepperdine to win by multiple scores.
Prediction: Pepperdine 76 – Cal 68