Slipping to the fringes of Pac-12 title contention is now the least of Cal's problems.*
The Bears sustained a key injury that could jeopardize their chances to even make the NCAA tournament.
Senior point guard Tyrone Wallace, Cal's leader in points and assists this season, will miss four to six weeks with a broken bone in his right wrist, the school announced Tuesday. Wallace was averaging 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
In the absence of Wallace, junior Sam Singer will likely enter the starting lineup and seldom-used sophomore Brandon Chauca will probably ascend to the primary backup role. Singer is a steady pass-first point guard, but he isn't nearly the dynamic scorer or playmaker that Wallace is.
The absence of Wallace comes at a time when Cal is already struggling to live up to preseason expectations.
The Bears began the season in the top 15 in the AP poll after adding McDonald's All-Americans Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown to a talented returning nucleus. Both Rabb and Brown have enjoyed solid debut seasons, yet Cal (12-6, 2-3) has lost six of its seven games away from home with the lone victory coming by just a single point at middling Wyoming.*

Defense and rebounding have been among Cal's strengths, but the Bears play at a modest pace and often struggle to score against set defenses. The injury to Wallace could make that weakness even more glaring since he's the Bears' best playmaker in late-clock situations. *
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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