California Golden Bears
Pac-12 (24-9, 13-5)
There were some questions about California heading into the 2011-2012 campaign. Coach Lindsey Gottlieb had to replace a legend in Joanne Boyle, but Coach Gottlieb knows a thing or two about Cal basketball. She was an assistant for the team for three years before taking over at UCSB, where she led the Gauchos to two Big West regular season titles. The Golden Bears have been the second most consistent team in the Pac-12 behind Stanford and that is saying a lot even if the Pac-12 is down a little bit this year.
Big Wins: 11/27 vs Virginia (59-50), 12/8 at Saint Mary’s (65-55), 2/9 UCLA (67-58)
Bad Losses: 11/26 vs Texas (60-61), 12/29 at UCLA (55-60), 2/11 USC (76-76)
Coach: Lindsey Gottlieb (1 season at California)
Why They Can Surprise:
Cal’s balanced scoring can give the opposing defense fits. There are a handful of players who are a threat to score in double figures on any given night. Guard Layshia Clarendon is the most dynamic scorer on the team. She is a capable outside shooter and can create her own shots. Brittany Boyd is mostly known for her passing and defense, but she can do a little scoring too by attacking the basket. The weapons in the backcourt continue with Lindsay Sherbert. She has been rather inconsistent this season and is not putting up big numbers, but the 6-0 guard has the potential to give the Golden Bears a great outside shooting threat. Reshanda Gray, Gennifer Brandon and Talia Caldwell are all scoring threats in the paint. Gray has emerged as a great scorer throughout her freshman campaign. She is not the best rebounder or defender around, but her game is coming around. Brandon is the strongest rebounder and shot blocker, while Caldwell has the size to create space in the paint.
Why They Can Disappoint:
While California has plenty of scoring options, they are not consistent shooters. Clarendon and Sherbert are the best outside shooters on the team, but both shoot just over 30 percent from beyond the arc. The Golden Bears are smart enough not to hoist up a bunch of long balls, but if no outside shots are falling, it gets very difficult for anybody to find space to score inside the arc. The shooting woes continue at the charity stripe. Boyd, who would have the ball in her hands at the end of games as the point guard, is sometimes forced to the bench due to her porous free-throw shooting. However, some of the other options are not much better and Clarendon has to have the ball in her hands at the end of a close game since she is easily the best free-throw shooter who can handle the ball. The Bears do not create a lot of turnovers and they will turn the ball over themselves quite a bit. However, their dominance on the glass helps overcome the lost possessions due to turnovers. If this team can take care of the ball a little better and hit the glass as effectively as they have all season long, they can make a run in March.
Probable Starters:
Brittany Boyd, Freshman, Guard, 10.1 ppg, 4.7 apg,2.5 spg
Lindsay Sherbert, Sophomore, Guard, 5.3 ppg
Layshia Clarendon, Junior, Guard, 12.6 ppg, 2.5 apg, 4.0 rpg
Reshanda Gray, Freshman, Forward, 10.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg
Talia Caldwell, Junior, Center, 8.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Gennifer Brandon, Sophomore, Forward, 8.8 ppg, 9.9 rpg
Justine Hartman, Freshman, Forward, 3.5 ppg
Afure Jemerigbe, Sophomore, Guard, 5.1 ppg
Eliza Pierre, Junior, Guard, 4.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 70.6 (40th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 59.7 (127, 6)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.1 (45, 3)
Field-Goal Defense: 37.9 (133, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 3.7 (260, 10)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: na
Free-Throw Percentage: 61.4 (323, 12)
Rebound Margin: 13.5 (3, 1)
Assists Per Game: 13.4 (110, 5)
Turnovers Per Game: 16.6 (124, 7)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
California 2011 NIT Round of 64 win over Cal Poly
California 2011 NIT Round of 32 loss to Colorado
California 2010 NIT Round of 64 win UC-Davis
California 2010 NIT Round of 32 win over Utah
California 2010 NIT Regional Semifinal win over Oregon
California 2010 NIT Regional Final win over BYU
California 2010 NIT National Semifinal win over Illinois State
California 2010 NIT National Final win over Miami
California 2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Fresno State
California 2009 NCAA Round of 32 win over Virginia
California 2009 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Connecticut
California 2008 NCAA Round of 64 win over San Diego
California 2008 NCAA Round of 32 loss to George Washington
California 2007 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Notre Dame
*all team stats through 3/1
