Washington at Cal (+2) - 7:30pm Pacific - Game #763-764

This is a big home game for the Bears.  Last week they lost some firepower off the bench when reserve forward Rod Benson suffered an injury in practice.  However, Benson really never fit in this year with the return of star power forward Leon Powe.  Benson's injury has opened up minutes for promising freshman Theo Robertson who has averaged 10.5ppg in last two games.  Meanwhile, Powe leads the conference in rebounding and ranks second in scoring.  He is a dominant force and Washington does not have an answer for him.  Starting guards Ayinde Ubaka and Richard Midgeley are finally having relatively injury free seasons.  Both have experience and talent.  Omar Wilkes has supplied much needed quickness and firepower on the wing.  Center Devon Hardin is one of the most improved players in the league.  He is sure to be a major factor in this game as Washington does not have a true center.

 

Washington has been on my overrated list for a while but this is the first matchup I have found that I am comfortable going against them in.  The Huskies are 5-2 in conference play but have had the benefit of playing five their first seven games at home.  They also were very fortunate to steal a win at UCLA in a game they trailed by 17 in the second half.  Just two games back the Huskies got all they could handle from Oregon State in a four point win that prompted OSU forward Marcel Jones to say after the game, "I don't know if they are as good as they are cracked up to be."  The Huskies are 2-0 on the road but did not play a single non-conference true road game making this just their third of the season.

 

Cal has to be happy with the way they played in Arizona last week.  They beat Arizona State by 30 and lost to Arizona by just 5.  Head coach Ben Braun believes his team is still improving.  They have been able to use the same starting lineup for 12 straight games and have made big strides defensively in recent games.  Cal's 4-3 conference record is impressive considering they have played 5 of 7 on the road.  They now return home where they are an almost perfect 7-1 this year.  Take the points and consider a money line play.

 

RAS Official Play:  Cal +2  1 UNIT