California vs Pittsburgh Prediction College Basketball Picks 1/1/25

The California Golden Bears and the Pittsburgh Panthers meet Wednesday in college basketball action from Petersen Events Center. Here’s a California vs Pittsburgh prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best California vs Pittsburgh pick. We will examine:

The California Golden Bears’ recent form and player performance

The Pittsburgh Panthers’ recent form and player performance

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the California Golden Bears

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Pittsburgh Panthers

Recent betting trends in games played between California and Pittsburgh

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the California vs Pittsburgh game

California Golden Bears Betting Preview

The Golden Bears managed a nice start this year, winning six of their first seven outings. California beat Cal State Bakersfield, Cal Poly, USC, Air Force, Sacramento State, and Mercyhurst during that time with a lone loss to Vanderbilt. Since then, however, the Golden Bears have gone just 1-4. California has fallen to Missouri, Stanford, Cornell, and San Diego State during that dismal stretch.

In the San Diego State game on December 21, the Golden Bears posted just 16 first-half points versus 25 for the Aztecs. California didn’t get any closer on a 46-34 second-half run and eventually fell 71-50. Leading the team during the losing effort was Jeremiah Wilkinson, who came off the bench for 13 topics and six rebounds. Also in double-figures was Andrej Stojakovic with 10 points and three steals. Mady Sissoko added 11 boards with five points as well.

Pittsburgh Panthers Betting Preview

Over on the Panthers’ side, they won their first six games of the year versus Radford, Murray State, Gardner-Webb, West Virginia, VMI, and LSU. Pittsburgh fell to Wisconsin and Mississippi State during a 1-2 stretch over the next three games, though. The Panthers have recovered since then, taking out Virginia Tech, Eastern Kentucky, and Sam Houston over their last three outings.

In the Sam Houston matchup back on December 21, the Panthers didn’t have a ton of difficulties. Pittsburgh roared to a 52-40 first-half edge, then closed on a 58-38 run that would leave the Panthers with a 110-78 blowout win. Leading the team in scoring was Zack Austin with 23 points and five rebounds, as well as Ishmael Leggett and his 23 points with five rebounds and three assists. Jaland Lowe doubled up along the way with 18 points and 11 assists.

Why the Pittsburgh Panthers will win

• Pittsburgh has won each of its last 13 games at Petersen Events Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• California has lost each of its last six games against Conference opponents.
• California has lost the first half in three of its last four games against the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Why the California Golden Bears will win

• California has won four of its last five day games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• California has won the first half in 10 of its last 13 day games.

California vs Pittsburgh Prediction

I’ll stay with Pittsburgh. The Panthers looked pretty good against a middling Sam Houston team in their last outing despite giving up 53.6 percent shooting from the floor and coughing up 10 turnovers. Pittsburgh hit 58.5 percent from the field themselves, as well as a blistering 16-of-31 (51.6 percent) from 3-point range. The 36-24 rebounding edge didn’t hurt, either.  The Panthers have had a couple of scoring duds over the past four games—specifically 64 points versus Virginia Tech in a five-point win and 57 points against Mississippi State in a blowout loss. That said, Pittsburgh has posted 74 or more points in 10 of their 12 games overall.

As for Cal, they were drilled by a good San Diego State team in their last outing. The Bears held the Aztecs to just 37.3 percent shooting from the field, but just about every other statistical category went against them. California shot just 25.5 percent themselves with 18 turnovers (for 25 Aztecs points) and a 49-39 rebounding deficit. During this current 1-4 run, the Bears have been coughing up a ton of points—71 or more in all four losses and 88 or more in three of those. Pittsburgh shouldn’t have a ton of issues finding buckets here, and I like the Panthers to cruise to the cover in the end if all goes well.