Cal's Defensive Issues to be Tested vs. Virginia

The Bears' leaky defense will have less wiggle room against the Cavaliers, who play low-scoring games

Cal's Jeremiah Wilkinson, left, and Clemson's Jaeden Zachery dive for a loose ball. / Ken Ruinard - staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The challenge Wednesday night for the Cal basketball team is different.

With Virginia coming to Haas Pavilion for an 8 p.m. ACC tipoff, the Bears’ shortcomings on defense will be magnified unless they tighten the bolts at that end of the floor.

The Bears (7-7, 0-3) are 16th in the ACC in points allowed (76.9) and last in both field-goal percentage defense (47.5 percent) and 3-point defense (37.6 percent). In their seven losses, the Bears have surrendered at least 80 points six times and are giving up an average of 85.3 points.

Virginia (8-6, 1-2) hasn’t scored 80 points in a game all season. But even since Ron Sanchez was named interim coach after three-time national coach of the year Tony Bennett suddenly retired in mid-October, the Cavaliers play low-scoring games that require opponents to apply themselves defensively.

“When we lock in . . . we can really play defense,” Cal second-year coach Mark Madsen said this week. “When we’re not locked in, we’re not tight on rotations, we’re not there on the catch and we make too many mistakes in rotation. 

“We’re a strong offensive team right now. Our defense needs work.”

The Bears should have an edge on the boards, where they have outrebounded foes by 4.3 per game and Virginia is tied for last in the ACC at minus-1.9.

The Cavaliers are the lowest-scoring team (61.4 points) in the ACC, but they make nearly 37 percent of their 3-point attempts and that was an issue for Cal’s defense in its 80-68 loss at Clemson on Saturday. 

The Tigers made seven of their first nine shots from beyond the arc and Madsen acknowledged afterward that the Bears didn’t rotate out to perimeter shooters well enough.

Three Virginia players shoot better than 40 percent from the 3-point line, led by top scorer Isaac McKneely (12.3 points), a 6-foot-4 junior guard who makes 44.6 percent from deep. 

Asked Monday if having so many new players on his roster has made it difficult to develop consistency, Madsen said that’s only part of the problem.

“The main thing is, I have to do a better job. I have to coach our guys better and we have to get the job done in terms of consistency,” he said.

Madsen has no quarrel with how hard his team has played. He loves their effort level.

“We need to play smarter,” he said. “Not for 20 minutes, not for 30 minutes. We need to play smarter for 40 minutes. And we will get there.”