California and Missouri had little trouble reaching the final of the CBE Classic.
The No. 20 Golden Bears and 21st-ranked Tigers expect a more difficult challenge when they face off for the tournament title Tuesday night at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Meeting for the first time since Missouri beat California 93-66 on Dec. 7, 2008, this should be the first true test of the season for both schools as they look to remain unbeaten.
Cal (4-0), which has won three of its first four games by at least 21 points, went 25 of 50 from the field in Monday's 70-46 rout of Georgia.
Missouri (4-0), meanwhile, shot a sizzling 58.2 percent (32 of 55) during its 87-58 victory over previously unbeaten Notre Dame in the tournament's first semifinal Monday.
With both teams coming off such stellar shooting nights, Tuesday's championship game has at least one of the coaches involved looking forward to the potential of a memorable matchup.
"There's no question, (Tuesday) we're going to play another great team and we'll be excited about the opportunity," first-year Missouri coach Frank Haith said.
"We want to have a championship program. Winning a (CBE Classic) championship is important to get our mentality of winning championships."
Missouri's smothering pressure defense could prove the difference in a neutral site game that should be more like a home game for the Tigers, who forced 13 turnovers and outrebounded the Irish 38-24 on Monday.
"It's a huge challenge,'' Cal coach Mike Montgomery said. "There might be some people that play small (in the Pac-12), but they won't have the talent of these guys.''
Playing in his hometown, Missouri guard Marcus Denmon was 9 of 11 from the field Monday and finished with a game-high 26 points. The senior is averaging 20.0 points and shooting 56.5 percent (26 of 46) on the season.
"I'm going to be saying this all year: He's just very talented," Haith said.
Denmon was just 4 of 13 from the field against Cal in 2008, but finished with 14 points. Teammate Kim English had 16 points off the bench in that contest, and had 10 with six rebounds and four assists versus Notre Dame.
English is averaging 15.3 points per game while sophomore Flip Pressey increased his season average to 14.3 with a 17-point effort against the Irish.
For Cal on Monday, Harper Kamp scored 16 points and senior guard Jorge Gutierrez added 14 with seven rebounds.
One of the more underrated backcourt players in the nation, Gutierrez helped pace a Golden Bears defense that forced 15 turnovers and held the Bulldogs to 32.8 percent shooting, including 4 of 19 from 3-point range. Gutierrez and the Golden Bears have limited their first four opponents to 36.8 percent shooting.
"He just gives all his energy,'' Cal freshman and suburban Kansas City product David Kravish said of Gutierrez. "He brings so much intensity that it raises everybody's level of play.''
Averaging 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, Gutierrez had nine points and five boards against Missouri in 2008.
Cal is looking to start 5-0 for the first time since 2008-09, while Missouri will try to open with five straight wins for the second consecutive season.
