Plus/minus: MBB vs. New Mexico

After building a 37-24 lead late in the first half, California had to withstand a 13-1 New Mexico run and eventually staved off the pesky Lobos 68-66. While New Mexico came into the game as a strong three-point shooting team and always appeared to be on the verge of getting hot, the Bear defense kept them managed to keep them in check.

California 68, New Mexico 66

With 31 seconds left at Haas Library and the scoreboard reading 66-66, it appeared there might have been one too many 6s for what was left of group of 1,906 that decided it could wait to see if Kristy Lee Cook survived another week on American Idol.  With the Bears having a 13-point first quarter lead vanish, and with four of its players playing the final 6:36, Cal was facing the potentially gruesome prospect of having to squeeze five more minutes of both its players and their fans late Thursday evening.

Fortunately, Jamal Boykin was fouled while driving to the basket and he made both of his free throws, putting Cal up 68-66, and New Mexico missed a long jumper at the buzzer that kept the game from going into overtime.  The Bears live on to fight another day as they advance to the 2nd round of the NIT to play at Ohio State on Monday.

Although they had modest statistcs for the game, each of the two players scored only two points, Nikola Knezevic (45-35,  +10) and Eric Vierneisel (52-46, +6) led the Bears in plus/minus.

Player	Min	+Pts	-Pts	Pts	Reb	Ast	Diff
Nikola Knezevic	25	45	35	2	2	1	+10
Eric Vierneisel	28	52	46	2	2	8	+6
Ryan Anderson	35	62	59	26	6	3	+3
Harper Kamp	9	15	15	1	0	0	0
Eddie Miller	0+	0	0	0	0	0	0
Patrick Christopher	36	59	60	6	6	1	-1
DeVon Hardin	23	42	43	10	6	0	-1
Jamal Boykin	18	23	25	10	5	0	-2
Jerome Randle	26	42	47	11	2	1	-5

First vs. Second Half (minimum 2 minutes)

First Half Top - Eric Vierneisel - 31-19, +12  
Second Half Top - Nikola Knezevic - 26-20, +6

First Half Bottom - Jamal Boykin - 10-13, -3
Second Half Bottom - Jerome Randle - 18-28, -10

Lineups

The lineup of Randle, Knezevic, Christopher, Boykin and Anderson played most of the way down the stretch, starting at the 6:36 mark with the score tied at 56. Vierneisel came in for Knezevic at the 1:41 mark, with the Bears up 68-66.

Randle, Vierneisel, Christopher, Hardin and Anderson in 10:48 - 19-20, -1
Randle, Knezevic, Christopher, Boykin and Anderson in 7:17 - 12-11, +1
All other combinations in 21:55 - 37-35, +2

Point Guard lineup

After a nightmare game against Washington in the Pac-10 tourney where he was -15 in 5 minutes of an 84-81 win, Knezevic has bounced back nicely with a +2 in Cal's 22-point loss to UCLA and leading the team with a +10 versus New Mexico.

Randle's gone the opposite direction, with a +8 in the Washington win, but a -38 against UCLA and a -5 against New Mexico.

Randle only	15:13	23-31, -8
Knezevic only	14:07	26-19, +7
Randle and Knezevic	10:40	19-16, +3
TOTAL	40:00	68-66, +2

Point Summary

One point	29:20	49-50, -1
Two points	10:40	19-16, +3
TOTAL	40:00	68-66, +2

Big Lineups

With the threat of New Mexico's three-point shooters, the Bears went with just two bigs for most of the game, using their three big lineups for brief spells in the first half.  Those groupings had a rough time of it as the Bears were outscored by 4 (10-6), allowing 10 minutes in just 3:50 (roughly 2.5 points per minute). By comparison with two bigs, the Bears defense allowed roughtly 1.56 points a minute.  The Bears defensive options were limited in the second half by DeVon Hardin's foul trouble. Hardin picked up his fourth foul with 9:46 left, sat until the 6:55 mark, and lasted 19 seconds before picking up his fifth foul after setting a screen with too much vigor for the referee's liking.

Anderson and Hardin	18:19	35-31, +4
Anderson and Boykin	10:53	17-13, +4
Boykin and Kamp	2:54	4-2, +2
Anderson and Kamp	2:51	5-8, -3
Anderson, Hardin, and Kamp	1:52	5-2, +3
Hardin and Boykin	1:13	1-2, -1
Boykin, Anderson, and Hardin	1:08	0-5, -5
Boykin, Hardin, and Kamp	0:50	1-3, -2
	40:00	68-66, +2

Big Summary

Two bigs	36:10	62-56, +6
Three bigs	3:50	6-10, -4
	40:00	68-66, +2

Difference Makers

With Nikola Knezevic in 25 minutes - 45-35, +10   
Without Knezevic in 15 minutes - 23-31, -8

With Eric Vierneisel in 28 minutes - 52-46, +6
Without Vierneisel in 12 minutes - 16-20, -4

With Ryan Anderson in 35 minutes - 62-59, +3
Without Anderson in 5 minutes - 6-7, -1

With Jerome Randle in 26 minutes - 42-47, -5
Without Randle in 14 minutes - 26-19, +7

Contribution Evaluation

Player	Minutes	Expected	Actual	Difference
Knezevic	25	+1.25	+10	+8.75
Vierneisel	28	+1.40	+6	+4.60
Anderson	35	+1.75	+3	+1.25
Miller	0+	--	0	--
Kamp	9	+0.45	0	-0.45
Hardin	23	+1.15	-1	-2.15
Christopher	36	+1.80	-1	-2.80
Boykin	18	+0.90	-2	-2.90
Randle	26	+1.30	-5	-6.30

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