California Golden Bears vs Clemson Tigers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our California vs Clemson NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Clemson.

California vs Clemson Prediction

Looking to win big? The Golden Bears and Tigers face off at 8:30 ET on ESPN2. The Tigers are hosting the game at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, SC. The over/under for this Atlantic Coast conference contest is set at 147.5 points, with Clemson being favored by -14.5 at home against California.

California vs. Clemson Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: California Golden Bears at Clemson Tigers
Where: Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds CLMSN -14.5, CAH +716 | CLMSN -1233 O/U 147.5

Golden Bears Preview: Do the Golden Bears Stand a Chance in Clemson?

California Golden Bears Recent Game/Games

California dropped to 7-6 on the season after an 86-74 road loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Despite being +14 point underdogs, the Golden Bears kept it closer than expected, covering the spread.

Cal led 42-38 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring just 32 points while allowing 48. The game’s total points of 160 went over the pre-game line of 154.5.

Golden Bears Offense Breakdown

California's offense put up 74 points in their latest game, shooting 40% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 45.5%, and they connected on 82.8% of their free throws, going 24-for-29 from the line.

Jaland Lowe led the way with 27 points and 8 assists, shooting 9-for-23 overall and 1-for-5 from three. Jeremiah Wilkinson added 24 points, while Cameron Corhen was efficient, hitting 7 of 8 shots and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Golden Bears Team Defense

Despite giving up 86 points, California struggled defensively, allowing their opponent to shoot 50% from the field, including 52% on two-point attempts. The Golden Bears also gave up 8 made threes on 18 attempts, a 44% shooting rate from beyond the arc.

California sent their opponent to the free-throw line 34 times, where they converted 26 free throws, shooting 76%. The Golden Bears allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Tigers Preview: Will the Tigers Secure A Victory as Home Favorites?

Clemson improved to 11-3 on the season with an 85-71 win over Stanford on Wednesday. The Tigers, who were -10.5 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory. The total points for the game reached 156, surpassing the over/under line of 143.5.

After leading 43-41 at halftime, Clemson's defense stepped up in the second half, holding Stanford to just 30 points while scoring 42 of their own.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Clemson put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 48.3% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 55.2%, and they were impressive from the free-throw line, hitting 87.5% of their attempts (21/24).

Chase Hunter led the way with 22 points, while Oziyah Sellers added 20 on 77.8% shooting. Chauncey Wiggins contributed 17 points, hitting 4 of 5 from beyond the arc.

Tigers Team Defense

Despite Clemson's defensive efforts, they gave up 71 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 48% from the field. Clemson allowed 51% shooting on two-point attempts, as their opponents connected on 20 of 39 shots.

From beyond the arc, Clemson's defense couldn't contain their opponents, who hit 8 of 19 threes, shooting 42%. Clemson also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 24 times, where they converted 21 attempts, an 87% success rate. Clemson allowed 11 offensive rebounds in the game.

Golden Bears vs Tigers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five road games, California has averaged 73 points per game while allowing 84. The team's record in this stretch was 1-4 while going 3-2.
The Tigers are 2-1 ATS in their last three home games and 2-1 straight-up.
In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Golden Bears have a straight up record of 0-3 and an ATS mark of 2-1.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Tigers have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.