Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Jaylon Tyson takes aim at his seventh consecutive game of scoring at least 20 points when Cal faces Washington on Thursday in Pac-12 play at Berkeley, Calif.
Tyson’s streak is the best by a Golden Bears player since Ed Gray had 20-plus points in 11 straight games from Jan. 9 to Feb. 15, 1997.
Tyson is averaging 22.8 points during the six-game stretch to raise his season mark to a Pac-12-leading 20.7. He is shooting 55.4 percent (51 of 92) during the hot streak and has made multiple 3-point baskets in five straight games.
Tyson recorded his fifth double-double of the season when he had 20 points and 10 rebounds in an 80-73 road loss to Oregon on Saturday. It marked the fourth loss in six games for the Golden Bears (6-11, 2-4 Pac-12).
Golden Bears coach Mark Madsen raves about Tyson’s ability to share the ball even when he’s on a hot shooting run.
“Jaylon not only is a great scorer, but he’s gonna look to make his teammates better,” Madsen said. “… Jaylon Tyson is a phenomenal passer. He’s not one of these guys where it’s just all about me first, I want to score. I mean, he takes equal joy between scoring and passing. So the fact that he’s found that balance has been really, really good.”
Washington (10-7, 2-4) also has dropped four of six games after losing 73-61 at UCLA on Sunday.
Sahvir Wheeler had the hot hand against the Bruins and matched his career high of 27 points. He made 10 of 16 field-goal attempts.
Wheeler is 18 of 27 from the floor and 7 of 8 from 3-point range over the past two games. He made all five of shots from behind the arc to set a career best while scoring 24 points in last Thursday’s 82-67 home win over Arizona State.
“Literally, I’m just taking what the defense gives me,” Wheeler said. “These last two games called for me to score; maybe the next game, it’ll be something else. Whatever the team needs, I’m trying to give.”
Wheeler is second on the club with a 16.5 scoring average. Keion Brooks Jr. leads at 20.1 and ranks second in the Pac-12 behind Tyson.
Brooks had just 12 points on 3-of-9 shooting against UCLA after scoring 20 or more in six of the previous seven games.
The Huskies have beaten Cal five straight times.
–Field Level Media