NCAAB Game Preview - Oregon at California

Thu Jan 30, 2020 9:00 PM EST

Oregon was able to beat visiting USC and UCLA last weekend without injured 6-foot-11 freshman N'Faly Dante, but the 11th-ranked Ducks are hopeful for his return when they start their Bay Area trip at California on Thursday.

Dante last played when he suffered a knee sprain in Oregon's overtime win at Washington on Jan. 18. Dante is averaging 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds over nine games since arriving in early December after reclassifying from the Sunrise (Kan.) Christian Academy.

Oregon coach Dana Altman did not give a definitive answer on Dante's availability earlier this week after the Ducks did not practice Monday because of the game against UCLA on Sunday.

All Altman said was, "(Missing Monday) gives us two days to get ready for Cal. So hopefully they'll practice hard today."

Oregon (17-4, 6-2 Pac-12) is trying to build on its three-game winning streak starting with that victory over the Huskies, when senior leader Payton Pritchard hit two clutch 3-pointers -- one near the end of regulation and the winner in overtime.

Altman's recent change to Oregon's frontcourt rotation has aided the recent success. Chandler Lawson is starting at center in place of Francis Okoro, and C.J. Walker is now coming off the bench behind Shakur Juiston at power forward.

Altman said another matter of fixing is the development and confidence of senior guard Anthony Mathis. The 6-foot-4 graduate transfer from New Mexico became a focus of opposing defenses after making 20 of his first 31 3-pointers to start the season. He has made just three of his last 14 shots from beyond the arc.

"I thought he got some good looks against UCLA in transition," Altman said of Mathis' 2-for-5 shooting performance from 3-point range. "He's got to keep working and I've got to find a way to get him some more shots. He's just going to have to run the floor and keep moving, and he should help the rest of our guys because they're pretty much locked upon him and they're not leaving him."

California (9-10, 3-3) has stunned Washington and Stanford at home. The Golden Bears defeated Stanford 52-50 on Sunday when senior guard Paris Austin scored a team-best 15 points, including two on free throws with 3.2 seconds left on the clock.

Stanford could not get a shot off in time at the end against the Bears, who forced 15 turnovers and held the Cardinal to 44 percent shooting from the field.

"It was a great win because our team's fighting to rebuild the program and those kids deserved to be rewarded," first-year coach Mark Fox said. "It's a great win because we had great fan support and they were right there with us. It's a great win because we beat a good Stanford team.

"It's a great win for a lot of reasons. But every win counts the same in the standings and we celebrate every one of them."

Cal trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half before rallying to tie the score with 7:06 left. The Bears' seven turnovers were their second fewest this season.

--Field Level Media