Category: Cal Bears

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva: Camden, Pippin and Cal how they match up against Stanford on Saturday

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Cal Bears forward Lee Dort (left) throws down against UNC Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) in the first half at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Sat Jan 17, 2026. The Bears hit the road Sat Jan 23, 2026 against cross bay rival Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto (AP News photo)

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 Can John Camden set the tone offensively for Cal on the road, especially if Stanford pressures the Bears on the perimeter early?

#2 How important will Justin Pippin’s pace and decision-making be in keeping Cal composed against Stanford’s half-court defense?

#3 Will Cal look to establish Dai Dai Ames inside to counter Stanford’s frontcourt size, or lean more heavily on spacing and outside shooting?

#4 Can Camden and Pippin win the backcourt battle against Stanford’s guards and limit turnovers in what’s always a high-energy rivalry game?

#5 Which Cal role player could be the X-factor if Stanford sells out to stop Camden — and does Mark Madsen shorten the rotation in a tight road matchup?

Michael Villanueva does the Cal Bears podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Can Okorie continue his offensive charge against Cal?

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Stanford Cardinal forward AJ Rohosy (4) grabs the rebound from the Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Sat Jan 17, 2026 (AP News photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Can Ebuka Okorie continue his scoring surge and force Cal to adjust defensively?

#2 How will Stanford’s senior guard Jeremy Dent-Smith impact the tempo and control the backcourt against Cal’s guards?


#3 What matchup challenges will forward AJ Rohosy present inside, and can he help Stanford secure the rebounding battle?

#4 Will Ryan Agarwal’s length and scoring versatility be a key factor in stretching Cal’s defense?

#5 Can Benny Gealer’s perimeter shooting keep Stanford competitive if Cal presses late in the game?

Join Michael Roberson for the Stanford Cardinal podcast Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com


Cal Bears game wrap: Bears barely hold on in traumatic thriller for miraculous 84-78 win over #14 UNC:

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Cal Bears forward Lee Dort (left) throws down against UNC Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) in the first half at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Sat Jan 17, 2026 (AP News photo)

#14 North Carolina Tar Heels 78 (14-4 Overall; 2-4 ACC)

California Golden Bears 84 (14-5 Overall; 2-4 ACC)

Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

By Stephen Ruderman

BERKELEY–The Bears nearly blew a 19-point lead, but at the end they came out on top in a wild and emotional thriller with a nevertheless miraculous 84-78 win over the 14th-ranked UNC Tar Heels.

Another large crowd packed into Haas Pavilion on this Saturday afternoon to see the Bears take on another ranked team. Today, it was the 14th-ranked UNC Tar Heels. Cal came into today’s game 1-4 in ACC play.

The Bears got the crowd into the game right away. Lee Dort opened the scoring with a layup and an alleyoop dunk, and John Camden hit a three to give Cal a 7-0 start.

Derek Dixon hit a three to put UNC on the board, and remind everyone that they were here to play. Dixon’s three also reminded everybody that UNC had a large contingency of fans ready to make a lot of noise as well. Dai Dai Ames hit a three to make it 10-3, but UNC scored seven unanswered points to tie the game at 10-10.

The Bears responded with an impressive 19-5 run to open up a 29-15 lead. However, the Tar Heels came charging right back with an 11-2 run to close Cal’s lead to 31-26 with 6:51 left in the first half.

Caleb Wilson went for a jumper to try and cut Cal’s lead to just three, but he missed, which spurred a monumental momentum shift for the Bears. Chris Bell hit a three to make it 34-26, and from there, the Bears went on a roll.

Camden made a layup, and was fouled. He was sent to the line, where he made his shot, and Cal now led 37-26. Seth Trimble was fouled, and hit his second of two shots from the line to make it 37-27.

Justin Pippen then hit a three to make it 40-27. Trimble hit a jumper to make it 40-29, but every time UNC was able to score two, Cal followed it up with a three. That sequence was capped off with a three by Pippen to open Cal’s lead to 52-35.

Zayden High missed a three for UNC, which killed the drill. Dai Dai Ames then hit a jumper for two, and Dixon got a layup in. Cal led 54-37 at the half.

The Bears dominated the final six minutes and 17 seconds of the first half, and closed out the half with a 23-11 run. The question was then whether Cal could carry the momentum through the layover, and into the second half. While the Bears had a rather-comfortable lead, they were still up against the 14th-ranked team in the country, and as a result their lead was far from safe.

Pippen fired the opening salvo with a dunk to make it 56-37, and Cal got their lead to 20 at 63-43. However, UNC got a little bit of momentum, back, and scored seven unanswered points to close it to 63-50. Camden threw a bad pass, which resulted in a turnover, but Wilson was thrown out of bounds. Montas Koncanas then hit a three to get the Bears back on track.

The Bears had regained the momentum, and an Aimes jumper put the Bears back ahead by 19 at 74-55 with 8:26 to go.

Then suddenly, everything changed. Wilson and Trimble were both fouled, and both hit each of their two shots from the line. Dixon then hit a three to cut Cal’s lead to 12, which was their slimmest since the first half.

It got even worse. Jayden Young hit a three to cut it to 74-65, and the sea of light blue that made its way all the way from North Carolina was on fire. After Wilson was fouled and sent to the line, UNC fans were chanting so loud, it felt like a literal UNC home game.

Caleb hit one of two from the line, and Pippen gave Cal a brief reprieve with a three to get their lead back to 11. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t last long. Henri Veesaar threw down an alleyoop dunk; Dixon hit a three and Jaydon Young was fouled and hit both shots from the line.

It was now just a four-point game at 77-73, and while the Bears still had the lead, the Tar Heels were in complete control. UNC showed throughout this entire comeback why they were the 14th highest-ranked team in the country, and that they were the clearly-superior team in this game. Even with three minutes still remaining, the Bears were doing everything they could to run down the clock.

Pippen hit a jumper to make it 79-73 with 2:52 to go. Neither team scored in their next position, and then the Bears were hit with a shot clock violation.

Trimble was fouled by Dort with 1:47 to go, which sent the former to the line. Trimble hit both, and it was back to a four-point game at 79-75.

Both teams missed shots on their next possessions. After Trimble missed a jumper, there was a scramble for the ball, but Dort was able to hold onto it to give Cal the possession. Dort was fouled by Young, so the Bears threw the ball back in. Pippen got the ball, but he too was fouled by Young. Since that was UNC’s seventh team foul, Pippen went to the line with 57 seconds left.

Pippen hit both shots from the line, but the Bears were still not out of the woods. Trimble missed a three for UNC. Dort was then fouled, and unable to hit his first shot from the line. Veesaar also missed a three.

Veesaar took another shot from beyond the arc with 19 seconds left, and it was back to a three-point game at 81-78. All the Tar Heels had to do was foul; hope whoever was fouled misses his first shot; and then hit a three to tie it.

Veesaar fouled Pippen with 10 seconds left, but Pippen hit both shots, to make it 83-78, and the Bears were now in good shape. Wilson missed a three, and that pretty much did it. Dort was fouled, and hit a three throw for the hell of it.

Dort missed his second free throw, but who cared? Because someway, somehow, the Bears miraculously held on for a big 84-78 upset over the 14th highest-ranked team in the country.

It was really three guys who pulled this one off for the Bears. John Camden led the scoring with 20 points, and Dai Dai Ames was right behind him with 19.

While Justin Pippen was tied with Ames for the second-most points with 19, Pippen was easily the player of the game on the offensive side, and quite possibly, the player of the game entirely. Pippen was 5-for-8 in field goals; 3-for-4 from beyond the arc; and a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. He also had four rebounds and five assists.

On the defensive side, it was Lee Dort, who had 12 rebounds, 10 of them on defense. Dort also scored seven points, and threw in a pair of assists for good measure.

This is the Bears’ second win this season against a Top 25 team. The Bears are now 2-4 in ACC play, and 14-5 overall.

The Bears will have the next week off, and then they will head across the bay to Palo Alto to take on their hated rivals in all facets of life, the Stanford Cardinal, next Saturday. Afterwards, they will head to Florida for a pair of games: Wednesday, Jan. 28 in Tallahassee, against Seminoles; and Saturday, Jan. 31, just west of Miami, in Coral Gables, against the Miami Hurricanes.

Tipoff at Maples Pavilion next Saturday will be at 5 p.m.

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva: Duke shuts down Cal’s scoring to pick up 71-56 win

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Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) takes a shot over Cal Bears Semetri Carr (3) in the first half at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Wed Jan 14, 2026 (AP News photo)

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 Dai Dai Ames had a significant role in his offensive flow tonight — how did you see his shot selection and decision-making impacted Cal’s ability to stay competitive with Duke?”

#2 Considering Justin Pippin’s role as a primary playmaker, what adjustments did Cal try to make when Duke pressure heated up, and how do you think they worked?

#3 Lee Dort one of the team’s leading rebounders — how did Dort approach the paint against Duke’s size and athleticism, and what could the Bears have done differently on the boards?

#4 Cal has a mix of veteran and younger pieces — how did they balance experience and energy to try to sustain runs in games like this, and what did you learn from Wednesday night’s matchup?

#5 There were a number of three minute dry spells for Cal that was crucial in them falling behind in the 71-56 loss to Duke.

Michael Villnueva is a Cal Bears beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Golden Bears loses Sell Out Game to No.6 Duke Blue Devils, 71-56, Bears on a 3 Game Losing-Streak.

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California Golden Bear forward Lee Dort #34, throws down a dunk to cut the lead to 6 points, 25-19, with 5 minutes remaining in the 1st half on January 14th, 2026, in Haas Pavilion. (Photo Credits by Lezleigh Maldonado – Sports Radio Services)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – The California Golden Bears fell to No. 6 Duke Blue Devils, 71–56, on Wednesday night at Haas Pavilion, one of Cal Berkeley’s first sell out games, marking the first ACC matchup between the two programs this season.

Both teams entered the contest trending in opposite directions in conference play, with Duke sitting in first place in the ACC and Cal ranked 13th, looking to bounce back after losing two straight road games against Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Golden Bears also hoped to turn the tide in the all-time series, having dropped their last three meetings with Duke and not beaten the Blue Devils since an 82–77 victory on March 20, 1993, in Rosemont, Illinois. Cal was also chasing a rare milestone, as the Bears’ last win over an AP Top-10 opponent came on Feb. 1, 2014, when they upset No. 1 Arizona at Haas Pavilion.

California opened the game with its starting five of guards Dai Dai Ames, Justin Pippen, forwards John Camden, Chris Bell, and Lee Dort, with Ames leading the Bears at 17.8 points per game. Duke countered with guards Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, Dame Sarr, forwards Cameron Boozer, and Patrick Ngongba II, led by Cameron Boozer’s 22.9 points per game coming into the night.

Chris Bell got the game started by drilling a three-pointer off a Duke turnover, giving Cal early energy and getting the Haas Pavilion crowd involved. Cal came out firing, taking 11 shots in the first five minutes, but the Bears struggled to convert, making just three for 27 percent shooting. Duke also had trouble settling in early, committing four turnovers while shooting 2-of-5 (40 percent) during that stretch. Cal capitalized on those mistakes, scoring five points off Duke turnovers to stay in the early running.

With 8:00 left in the first half, Caleb Foster knocked down a three-pointer to give Duke its first lead at 17–15. The Blue Devils then got a lift from Patrick Ngongba II, who finished the night with six points on 3-of-5 shooting and grabbed six rebounds, helping stabilize Duke’s offense.

Cal responded with a 12–2 run over three minutes to retake control at 27–21, sparked by Lee Dort’s back-to-back alley-oop dunks that energized the crowd. But Duke closed the half on a 13–0 run, taking advantage of a three-minute scoring drought by the Bears and heading into the locker room with a 37–30 lead.

The Golden Bears opened the second half with a 7–0 scoring run, cutting the deficit to 41–39 thanks to Justin Pippen drawing fouls and converting three of four free throws and Dai Dai Ames knocking down key baskets. However, Cal struggled to sustain offense, going another three minutes without a field goal, while Duke went 5-of-5 from the field to extend its lead to 60–48 with seven minutes remaining.

Down the stretch, Duke took control, going 8-of-9 from the field in the final six minutes as Cal continued to struggle with shooting and accumulated a high foul count. Lee Dort led the way for Cal with 14 points and nine rebounds, while John Camden added 11 points, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, and grabbed two rebounds. Ultimately, three bears were able to finish with double-digits: Lee Dort , Justin Pippen, and John Camden

With two minutes remaining, Duke held a 19-point advantage, showcasing their ability to shoot, play, and handle the hostile “Haas of Pain”. The Blue Devils went on to defeat Cal 71–56. Ultimately, Cal digged their own defeat as the team saw multiple scoring droughts that just weren’t helping and making the Bears not golden at home.

The Golden Bears will look to bounce back at home on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 1 p.m., against No. 14/15 North Carolina Tar Heels (14-3, 2-2 ACC).

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva: Cal’s Ames sinks game winner to edge Notre Dame 72-71

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Cal Bears center Milos llic (8) takes the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Logan Imes (2) at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Fri Jan 2, 2026 (Cal Bears X photo)

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 Dai Dai Ames had a strong offensive season coming in — how would you assess his impact Friday night both in scoring and tempo for Cal he finished with 23 points.

#2 Justin Pippen has been one of the team’s key playmakers — what adjustments did Notre Dame make to limit his effectiveness and how did he respond, Pippen finished with 14 points.

#3 John Camden was one of Cal’s most efficient shooters — what did you think about his shot selection and contribution on both ends tonight?

#4 Lee Dort with four points and 11 rebounds brings rebounding and interior presence — how critical was his work on the boards, and do you feel it set the tone defensively late in the game?

#5 Looking at role players like Semetri Carr with six points, how important was the bench production Friday night, and what can that depth mean moving forward in ACC play?

Michael Villanuevea is a Cal Bears beat writer and podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

1st Game of the 2026, 1st Dub of the 2026. Golden Bears beat the Fighting Irish, 72-71

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California Golden Bear forward Chris Bell #22 shoots a contested mid-range shot over Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Braeden Shrewsberry #11 on Friday night at the Haas Pavilion. (Photo Credit to Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – On Friday night, January 2, 2026, the California Golden Bears defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 72-71 at Haas Pavilion in their final exciting 8-game homestand. Cal’s victory was their first in the ACC and second of the season.

Cal was coming off its first loss at Haas Pavilion, 90-70 to No. 16/13 Louisville on December 30 in both teams’ Atlantic Coast Conference openers. The Cardinals’ strong shooting proved to be the difference, with five players scoring in double figures. Cal had four players in double figures, led by Chris Bell’s 20-point performance.

Cal’s second ACC home game of the 2025-26 season took place Thursday night, capping off an eight-game homestand. The Bears’ first test of the new year came against a 10-4 Notre Dame.

The visiting Fighting Irish started the game with Jalen Haralson, Logan Imes, Braeden Shrewsberry, Carson Towt, and Garrett Sundra. The five set the tone early on, led by Haralson, who started the game on pace. He started the game 4-for-4 from the floor, including two corner three-pointers, which provided Notre Dame with a quick offensive push.

Cal’s starting lineup included John Camden, Dai Dai Ames, Lee Dort, Justin Pippen, and Chris Bell. Camden, who had already made 40 three-pointers for the Bears this season and had made at least one in every game, got off to a slow start, going 0-for-3 on field goals and three-pointers.

The first half was all Notre Dame, with the Fighting Irish coming out of Cal’s house strong, fast, and disciplined. They hit 58% from the field and 57% from three-point range in the first ten minutes, putting early stress on the Golden Bears. Cal struggled to find a rhythm, connecting on only 23% of their total shots and 13% from deep.

The game was physical on both sides, as both teams were eager to begin the year with a dub. The Golden Bears attempted nine free throws in the first half and made six, while Notre Dame was only 2-of-8 at the line. Despite the poor shooting and early setbacks, Cal was determined to get back on track. The Bears trailed 31-27 at halftime, keeping the game within reach for the second half.

The Bears played much better in the second half, with an intensity of awareness and focus that allowed them to play smarter, more precise basketball. Cal made four of their first five shots in the first six minutes, taking advantage on a three-minute scoring drought by Notre Dame. Justin Pippen was the driving force in raising his point count from six to fourteen while boosting the Bears’ offense.

Overall, Cal’s shooting improved, especially from deep. With seven minutes remaining, the Bears led by seven points, their largest lead of the night. However, the Fighting Irish remained fighting, shooting reliably and making tough shots when needed. Notre Dame had cut its lead to one with four minutes left in the game.

The Bears then went cold, making only one of ten field goals the rest of the way, giving the Irish the lead again. With two minutes remaining, Notre Dame’s Cole Serta made a critical three-pointer, giving the Irish the lead. Then, with only nine seconds remaining and the Bears down 71-68, Dai Dai Ames scored a three-pointer and was fouled, completing a four-point play that gave Cal a 72-71 lead with 2.6 seconds left. The Golden Bears won the game by holding on defensively in the final seconds.

Ames led Cal with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 1 rebound, and 3 assists, while Chris Bell had 15 points and 5 rebounds. The win gave the Bears their first ACC conference victory and improved their overall record to 13-2 into the new year.

Cal will return to play on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, when they face the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA, tipping off at 6 p.m., ready for another tough conference game.

Cal Bears game wrap: Bears welcomed to ACC play with brutal awakening in 90-70 loss to Louisville

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Louisville Cardinal guard Adrian Wooley (14) takes a shot against Cal Bears forward Chris Bell (22) in second half action at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Louisville Cardinals 90 (11-2 Overall; 1-0 ACC)

California Golden Bears 70 (10-2 Overall; 0-1 ACC)

By Stephen Ruderman

BERKELEY–The Bears were welcomed to ACC play with a brutal awakening, as they fought the good fight, but were ultimately pummeled by the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals 90-70.

The Bears got off to a 12-1 start, one of their best starts in a long time, as they dominated non-conference play. While many of the Bears’ 12 wins came against lesser known schools, they still had some wins against elite teams like UCLA. There has also been an excitement brewing around the Bears, who have not had a winning season in nine years.

As the Bears start playing the big teams on a regular basis, they would be met with the best of the best from the very getgo. Tonight, the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals came to Haas Pavilion for the beginning of ACC play.

Haas Pavilion wasn’t filled to capacity, but a fairly-large crowd showed up nevertheless. Many excited Bears’ fans showed up, but many Cardinals’ fans showed as well. Perhaps a lot of them made the long journey from Kentucky to the Bay Area, which is a worthy trip.

As for the game, the Bears won the opening tip, but knocked the ball out of bounds. That seemed to set the tone for how tonight’s game would go. The Cardinals made Cal pay for the fumbled tip, as Sanandra Fru made an alleyoop dunk.

That was just the start for Louisville, who jumped out to an early 10-lead. The Cardinals dominated the first half, and eventually got out to a 36-15 lead with 5:53 left.

The Bears then went on a 10-0 run to suddenly cut Louisville’s lead to 36-25. Adrian Woolet and J’Vonne Hadley responded with threes to make it 42-25, but the Bears kept going. Justin Pippen hit a three with 57 seconds remaining to make it 44-31 and get the crowd back into the game.

Chris Bell would also hit a three for Cal, but Fru and Wooley scored for Louisville, who went into halftime up 14 points at 48-34.

The Cardinals opened their lead up to 25 points at 73-48 with 8:26 remaining in the second half. However, Cal made one last push, as they scored 14 unanswered points in just under two minutes. Bell hit a three to cut it to 73-62 with 6:44 remaining.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals seized control right back, and won it 90-70.

Ryan Conwell led the way for the Cardinals with 26 points, and Adrian Wooley was not too far behind with 21. For Cal, Chris Bell and Justin Pippen were able to cut through Louisville’s defense, and scored 20 and 17 points respectively.

All you can say is that the Bears ran into a juggernaut tonight, as they dropped just their second game of the season. Unfortunately, they are 0-1 in ACC play, which is what ultimately counts the most.

The Bears will need to put this one behind them. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will come to Haas Pavilion Friday night.

Tipoff will be at 8 p.m.

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman: Louisville crushes it 90-70; Cal can’t get past Cardinals in either half

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Taking a look at the Cal Bears Top 40 players guard Dai Dai Ames (7), forward Chris Bell (22), forward John Camden (2). Cal currently is on a nine game win streak. (photo by Cal Bears X)

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman Tue Dec 30, 2025:

#1 How will Cal’s star guard Dai Dai Ames manage Louisville’s defensive pressure?
Ames leads Cal in scoring and three-point efficiency — can he replicate his offensive rhythm against a top-20 Cardinal defense?

#2 Can Justin Pippen’s playmaking and pace-setting control the tempo early?
As one of Cal’s primary ball-handlers, how effective will Pippen be in initiating offense and limiting turnovers against Louisville’s perimeter defenders?

#3 What kind of impact will John Camden have on both ends of the floor?
Camden has been a consistent threat inside and beyond the arc — how will his scoring and rebounding influence Cal’s ability to stay close?

#4 How might Lee Dort’s rebounding and interior defense affect Louisville’s second-chance points?
Dort is one of Cal’s key rebounders — will he be able to contain Louisville in the paint and limit extra possessions?

#5 Which supporting Cal players Chris Bell, Jovani Ruff, or Milos Ilic will step up to provide complementary scoring?
Beyond the primary stars, can Bell and others deliver timely baskets to keep Cal competitive throughout the game?

Stephen Ruderman is a Cal Bears beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears game wrap: Ames and Camden carry Bears to dominant 74-56 win over Columbia to end non-conference play

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Cal Bears forward Lee Dort (34) dribble drives against the Columbia Lions at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Sun Dec 21, 2025 (Cal Bears X photo)

Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Columbia Lions (9-3)

California Golden Bears 74 (12-1)

By Stephen Ruderman

BERKELEY–Dai Dai Ames and John Camden dominated each half respectively, and the Bears crushed the Columbia Lions 74-56 to close non-conference play.

The Bears carried their 11-1 start into today’s game against Columbia Lions of the Ivy League. The Lions haven’t been shabby either, as they came in with a record of 9-2.

The opening minutes of this one were relatively quiet. John Camden hit a three with less than a minute in to open the scoring, but the game was tied 4-4 five minutes in.

Dai Dai Ames came through with a dunk and a jumper to give the Bears an 8-4 lead. When the halfway point of the first half approached, that’s when the Bears’ offense finally came to life.

In just under a minute and a half, Nolan Dorsey hit a three; Ames made a layup; and Chris Bell hit a layup and jumper in the paint. Suddenly, the Bears had opened up a 17-4 lead.

The remainder of the first half was mainly uneventful, though Mark Madsen stayed fired up the entire time nevertheless. The Bears went into halftime with a 28-16 lead. Ames dominated the first half with 12 points, and Bell was not too far behind with eight.

The Lions showed up with a little more fire in the opening minutes of the second half. The Bears’ lead remained between nine and 12 points until Camden hit a jumper with 13:15 remaining.

The Bears truly opened it up near the halfway mark of the second half. Dorsey made a layup, and Justin Pippen and Camden both hit threes to put the Bears lead at 56-35.

The Lions never gave up. They went on a 9-2 run to cut the Bears lead to 65-52 with 2:52 left. The Lions also played aggressive defense in the latter part of the second half.

However, the Bears still won easily by a final of 74-56.

The man who really came alive in the second half was John Camden. His three to open the scoring in the first minute of the game was his only scoring in the first half. Camden scored 14 points in the second, and 17 overall.

Camden’s 17 points were second to Dai Dai Ames, who scored 19. Ames scored seven points in the second half.

Now, the Bears will face a real test, as ACC play will get underway next week. The Bears dominated non-conference play, which featured many matchups against lesser-known schools.

The Bears’ first match in ACC play will be against the 11th-ranked Louisville Cardinals next Tuesday at Haas Pavilion. The Bears beat 18th-ranked UCLA in November, so they are certainly capable of going up against the elite teams. We will see next Tuesday.

Tipoff will be at 6 p.m.