The Docket: Kings, Warriors At Home While BYU, Washington Fight Hunger At AT&T Park

The Arizona State Sun Devils won the 2012 Fight Hunger Bowl, beating Navy. BYU and Washington hook up in this year’s game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The Christmas rush is over and the countdown to the New Year is in full force. The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings play at home on the final Friday night of 2013, with the San Jose Sharks taking to the road.

It’s also the night of the Bay Area’s own contribution to the college football bowl frenzy, as the BYU Cougars and the Washington Huskies hook up in the Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park.

Here’s the docket for Friday (all times Pacific):

Antoine Vermette scored the game-winner in a shootout the last time the Coyotes and Sharks tangled. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

NHL: San Jose Sharks at Phoenix Coyotes, 6 p.m.
The Sharks head to Phoenix for the first of their two visits to the Pacific Division rivals this season. The teams have already played twice at the SAP Center, with San Jose posting a 1-0-1 record. Rookie Tomas Hertl scored his first two NHL goals in the Sharks’ 4-1 win over the Coyotes on Oct. 5, while Joe Pavelski had a goal and an assist in Phoenix’s 3-2 shootout win on Nov. 2.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: BYU vs. Washington, 6:30 p.m. (Fight Hunter Bowl, AT&T Park)
This will be the ninth meeting all-time between the Cougars and Huskies, but their first since 2010 and their first ever meeting in a bowl game. The teams have split their eight previous meetings, with BYU winning the last three times they’ve played—a 35-28 win at Provo, Utah, in 1999; a 28-27 win at Seattle in 2008 (the infamous Jake Locker celebration penalty game during an 0-12 season for the Huskies); and a 23-17 win at Provo in 2010.

Both teams come in with 8-4 records. Washington won its final two games, beating Oregon State 69-27 and Washington State 27-17, while the Cougars beat Nevada to win its finale. Coach Steve Sarkisian has already left to take the USC job, leaving quarterback coach Marques Tuiasosopo (a former Oakland Raider) to serve as interim coach for the bowl game. Points should be plentiful—Washington is ranked eighth in the nation in total offense and BYU is No. 14. The teams combine to average more than 1,000 yards a game.

DeMarcus Cousins had a big game in Miami last Friday, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Heat from beating the Kings for a 10th straight time. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

NBA: Miami Heat at Sacramento Kings, 7 p.m.
The Heat come to Sacramento with six straight wins, the longest active streak in the NBA, and one that includes a 122-103 win over the Kings a week ago. Sacramento has lost four of its last five, including a 113-100 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night at Sleep Train Arena that led coach Michael Malone to question his team’s effort and accused them of becoming “accustomed” to losing. In their first meeting a week ago on South Beach, DeMarcus Cousins had 27 points and eight rebounds for Sacramento and Ben McLemore scored 20 points. Chris Bosh had 25 points for eight boards for the Heat and Dwyane Wade scored 20 points. The Heat have won 10 straight in the series, with the Kings’ last win coming at home in March 2008.

Golden State had no answers for Goran Dragic and backcourt partner Eric Bledsoe when the Warriors and Suns played in Phoenix on Dec. 15. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

NBA: Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors, 7:30 p.m.
The Warriors and Suns get together for the first time this season at Oracle Arena after the Suns won the first meeting between the teams on Dec. 15 in Phoenix 106-102.

Golden State swept the season series last year, winning two close games in Phoenix and a couple of more lopsided decisions at the O. The Suns’ win earlier this month snapped a streak of six straight Warrior wins in the series, which the Suns lead all-time 135-86.

In that Dec. 15 contest, Stephen Curry scored 30 points and had seven assists for the Warriors and Klay Thompson added 19 points, while David Lee had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Phoenix scorched the Warriors with 24 points from Eric Bledsoe, 21 from backcourt mate Goran Dragic and 20 from Channing Frye.

Looking ahead quickly to Saturday, we have:

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Pacifica College at San Jose State, 2 p.m.
Furman at Cal, 3 p.m.
Santa Clara at Gonzaga, 5 p.m.
USF at Portland, 7 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Stanford at Fresno State, 6 p.m.