Montgomery Sees Similarities With Terps

Cal Coach Mike Montgomery just spent a few minutes on a conference call with a group of reporters and he shared a few thoughts on the upcoming matchup against the Terps. Montgomery said Cal and Maryland share a few similarities, which could make for an interesting contest Thursday afternoon.

"They're athletic; it's not like they're physical," Montgomery said. "They don't really have a low post game. They're similar to us some ways in that they don't have much of a low post presence. They don't go down back to basket much ... They're not big, physical. Like I said, they're a little bit more like us in that they've gone with a small lineup and all of them have been pretty capable."

Montgomery pointed to Greivis Vasquez -- whom Montgomery characterized as a "wild card" -- and Dave Neal as players who have enabled the Terps to have the success they've had, given their makeup.

Like Maryland, California offers a guard-oriented lineup. Point guard Jerome Randle and shooting guard Patrick Christopher both were named to this season's All-Pac 10 first team. The Bears also use 6-foot-6 forward Theo Robertson primarily as a wing player.

Later on in the call, Montgomery was asked whether it was good or bad to be facing an opponent with such similarities.

"Well that depends," he said. "I don't know that it's a good or a bad thing; it's just what it is. They'd probably like to have a 6-foot-10, 260-lb. center if they had a choice with a back-to-basket, but they don't. They've gone this way, and the fact that (Dave) Neal shoots it so well indicates you've got a pick-and-pop guy. That's a nice luxury to have."

I'll post more of Montgomery's thoughts on his team in an extended scouting report on Cal tomorrow.