Category: Cal Bears

Bears lose Emerald Coast Classic consolation game to Clemson, 67-59; fall to 0-7 on the season

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

The parallels between the head coaching careers of Brad Brownell and Mark Fox are remarkable. The dissimilarities, well, they all come in Fox’s three plus seasons at Cal.

Both coaches have long track records as Division I head coaches, Brownell now in his 21st season, and Fox in his 18th. Brownell has made NCAA Tournament appearances at all three of his stops: UNC-Wilmington, Wright State and now Clemson. Brownell hasn’t had a lot of success winning NCAA Tournament games, winning two in 2018 and getting the Tigers to the Sweet 16. Brownell’s other five tournament appearances all resulted in Round of 64 losses.

Fox’s head coaching career began with immediate success at Nevada where he won the WAC regular season championship in each of his first, four years and punctuated that with noise-making NCAA Tournament upsets over Mike Montgomery’s Stanford team and Mark Few’s Gonzaga team. That success led Fox to Georgia where he posted winning records in six of his nine seasons in the SEC. The richest, athletic conference in the U.S. proved to be a tougher nut to crack for Fox as he posted just four winning, regular season conference records and never won the SEC regular season title or reached the SEC Tournament championship game.

Neither coach has been blessed with top line talent, in fact, the list of NBA players to play for either coach is uneventful headlined by Fox’s Nick Fazekas, Kirk Snyder, Luke Babbitt and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, along with Brownell’s Trevor Booker.

Oh, the final parallel? Parker Fox, Mark’s son just concluded a four-year run as a walk-on under Brownell at Clemson, where he participated in 22 games.

Given all that background, the playing field was hardly even on Saturday afternoon at the Emerald Coast Classic consolation game meeting between Fox’s Bears and Brownell’s Tigers.

Clemson never trailed in bottling up the Bears for a 67-59 win. The Tigers shot 53 percent from the field and rebounded from a narrow 74-71 loss to Iowa on Friday.

Cal’s efforts were poisoned by a miserable 3 for 20 shooting effort from distance that negated their stellar 18 of 20 effort from the free throw line. The Bears trailed 31-28 at the half and closed to within one after Joel Brown’s first made basket of the second half. But that triggered Clemson to 15-0 run that culminated with Brevin Galloway’s 3-pointer with 14:15 remaining.

The closest the Bears came after that was a 63-57 deficit with 28 seconds remaining, but the Tigers closed it out with a 4 for 4 performance from the line in the final seconds.

Sound familiar? Well, that’s because it is.

The Bears fell to 0-7 on the season with the loss, easily the most disappointing start to a season in the history of California basketball. Mark Fox has now coached 100 games at Cal and won just 35 of them, easily the least successful stretch of his 18 years as a Division I head coach.

The Bears host USC on Wednesday at Haas Pavilion in their Pac-12 conference opener, before they visit conference favorite Arizona on Sunday.

A Point A Minute Won’t Keep You In It: Plodding Bears lose in Florida to TCU, 59-48

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

If you’re 0-5, throw caution to the North Florida coast breeze and let it rip! What do you have to lose?

Well, if you’re the Cal Bears, it’s complicated.

Coach Mark Fox is without two experienced guards from a roster that lacks athleticism and quickness. Ballhandling and turnovers have been a major part of their winless start, as has defensive rebounding with smaller, quicker opponents extending possessions on the offensive glass.

Given all that, let it rip–given a Haas Pavilion type translation–really means dial it back. So take Fox at his word, when he says, “we created the style of game we wanted to create” after the Bears got up just 39 shot attempts and scored 48 points in a double-digit loss to TCU on Friday.

Know this: Fox has a real dilemma. His Bears are a work in progress, emphasis on “in progress” and the losses are mounting.

The quest for victory number one brought the Bears to Niceville, FL for Thanksgiving as part of the Emerald Coast Classic, a meeting of Power 5 teams looking to spread their wings. Being matched against the Horned Frogs, picked to finish fourth in the Big-12, undeniably the nation’s best conference this season, wasn’t ideal.

But TCU was without Damion Baugh, suspended through the remainder of November due to his decision to sign with an agent after last season in thinking that he was in the mix for the 2022 NBA draft. Not only that, Mike Miles Jr., the Frogs’ other high-scoring guard missed the previous two games with ankle and knee issues, which coincided with TCU’s one-point loss to Northwestern State.

No Baugh, no Miles? Cal might have hope.

Not the case.

Miles returned on Friday, scoring 23 points to led TCU to a 59-48 win. More concerning than Miles, who needed 22 shots to reach his point total, was Cal’s 19 turnovers and 14 offensive rebounds allowed, which Fox pointed to as the biggest factor in the loss.

Those two areas created a huge deficit for the Bears in possessions and shots taken. It also allowed TCU to cruise despite a horrible shooting night (19 for 39 from two, 3 for 17 from three, and 12 of 23 from the foul stripe).

The Bears kept pace early, trailing 17-16 after Joel Brown’s layup. But over the final 8:16 of the first half, Cal scored just five more points, placing an uphill climb in their way.

The Bears got consecutive 3-pointers from Kuany Kuany and Grant Newell to slice TCU’s biggest lead to eight at 46-38. But after a TCU timeout, Miles scored consecutive baskets to extend the lead to 12, and the Frogs weren’t threatened after that.

Newell, Monty Bowser and ND Okafor–Cal’s top three reserves–found the TCU defense especially limiting, likely due in part to the trio’s inexperience. They combined to miss eight of 11 shots in 51 minutes of floor time.

With Miles coming off the bench, TCU’s reserves outscored Cal’s 35-11.

“We got to get some more guys that can finish plays,” Fox admitted.

The Bears now face Clemson under daunting circumstances. After finishing their game near midnight, they’ll be back on the floor with the Tigers at 4:00 pm EST.

“We’re not absorbing the preparation quite like we want to right now anyway, so maybe a quick turnaround won’t impact us as much as it would if we were playing a little smarter,” Fox said.

UCLA, Thompson-Robinson Run Cal Ragged: Bears lose to the Bruins, 35-28 in the season finale

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA– Turnovers, and a porous run defense spelled doom in Cal’s season finale against UCLA.

And in there, engaged to the end, trying to navigate the hosts through a portal to overcome a late deficit was Joe Starkey, on his final call as the voice of Golden Bears football.

All for naught, and on this rare Friday afternoon of football, not a bonanza.

The Bears embraced their opportunity to soften a rough season with consecutive wins at its conclusion but couldn’t seal the deal. Cal led 21-10 before halftime and regained a 28-27 lead with 11:16 remaining. But UCLA’s 352 yards rushing on a relentless 64 attempts simply wore Cal down.

“It was a heartbreaking loss. We had plenty of opportunities,” coach Justin Wilcox said.

After both aforementioned leads, UCLA simply looked to senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson along with their run game to get back into the game and got quick results.

With just 58 seconds to work with before halftime, Thompson-Robinson led the Bruins on a five-play touchdown drive to get within 21-17. The fifth-year senior handled the final 19 yards on an aborted pass play that ended with him motoring to the end zone.

Trailing by one in the fourth quarter, the Bruins needed ten plays to take the lead for good, with half of the plays either a Thompson-Robinson run or completed pass. The ensuing two-point conversion–a Thompson-Robinson pass to Jake Bobo–gave the Bruins a 35-28 lead with 7:53 remaining.

“We were a little frustrated, a little teed off. We’re a lot better football team than that,” Thompson-Robinson said of the two deficits the visitors faced. “But again, the resiliency and ability to fix those things. We’ve got a bunch of smart football players out on that field.”

The Bears saw success throwing on the Bruins along the boundaries to their productive receivers, Jeremiah Hunter and J. Michael Sturdivant. Hunter had a big afternoon with eight catches, 153 yards, and two scores. Conversely, Cal couldn’t sustain its success passing with a subpar 3 of 10 on third down conversions.

“We knew it was a game of third downs, then taking some shots,” Wilcox said in commending his interim play calling team that directed the offense to a 361-yard output.

The Bruins dwarfed that with their 541-yard total and a significant edge in time of possession. If nothing else, that differential paved the way for a very, tired final seven minutes for the Bears in which they failed to threaten UCLA’s lead. When Cal regained possession with two minutes left, they ran just four plays and saw freshman Jaydn Ott fumble after gaining enough yardage for a first down.

The Bruins recovered and ran out the clock, forcing the Bears to exhaust their remaining two timeouts.

Cal finished 4-8 with just two Pac-12 victories in nine opportunities. That means changes are inevitable beyond those made during the season as Wilcox tried everything to pump up his lackluster offense without success.

“You’ve got to look at the positives,” senior safety Daniel Scott said. “We played a lot of close games. It’s just the small details that cost us some games.”

Jack Plummer’s decision to return or not will likely be the first of numerous ones that will hopefully result in the program getting back on track. If Plummer does return, he’ll be challenged by sophomore quarterback Kai Millner.

Starkey concluded a stellar, 48-year run as the radio voice of Cal football that began in 1975. For years, Starkey assumed the arduous task of broadcasting Cal and 49ers football each weekend, which finally took its toll. Still, the versatile broadcaster kept both teams going, as he was at the mike for all five 49ers’ Super Bowl victories.

“Very emotional. I’ve been there for a very long time,” Starkey, 81, said after leaving the microphone for the last time. “We’ve gone to some wonderful places. I’ve done college games, for God’s sake, for Cal in Tokyo and Australia. What a way to spend a life.”

Cal Bears football podcast with Michael Duca: Cal hosts UCLA Friday in 2022 season finale

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Cal Bears Jadyn Ott takes flight over the Stanford Cardinal defense on Sat Nov 19, 2022 at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley at the Big Game (AP News photo)

On the Cal Bears football podcast:

#1 Michael, this Friday is Cal’s last regular season game of 2022 they had a six game losing streak going into last Saturday’s Big Game but on the Anniversary of the Big Play Cal did the 1982 team proud scoring twice on fumbles to come back and win it 27-20.

#2 Michael it didn’t look good for Cal after the third quarter down 17-6, then at 11:18 left in the game in the fourth quarter Cal got a on the scoreboard on a quarterback Jack Plummer one yard pass to Monroe Young for six and it was 17-12. Failed on the two point conversion.

#3 With 9:54 left in the game the Bears Jackson Sirmon returned a 37 yard fumble on a scoop and score and a two point conversion to follow put the Bears in front for the first time 20-17.

#4 Jadyn Ott with 58 seconds left in the game carried for on yard to make it 27-17 and Cal would end up winning the Big Game and the Axe with a 27-20 win

#5 Cal concludes the season against the UCLA Bruins this Friday at 1:30pm. The Bruins come in 8-3 and have won five of their last seven games. Could the Bears pull out another rabbit out of the hat against the Bruins.

Michael Duca did the Cal Bears football podcasts for the 2022 season and will rejoin us next Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com for Cal Men’s basketball podcast

0-5 For The First Time: Bears suffer unprecedented 59-55 loss to Texas State

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–This is the low point for California basketball. They can only go up from here.

Or can they?

The Bears suffered a fifth straight loss to start the season at Haas Pavilion on Monday against a smaller opponent from a lesser conference. It’s a reoccurring theme for sure, one the Bears can’t seem to escape.

This is the first time in the history of the program–115 years and counting–that the Bears have been 0-5.

Texas State blew in to Berkeley on Monday, frustrated the they couldn’t close the deal at UT-San Antonio on Thursday, when they were logically unable to make their meager 56 points stand up on the road.

The answer? Stop through Berkeley on the way to Hawaii for Thanksgiving and do a just a little more than they did at UTSA.

Guess what? That strategy worked.

Cal committed 16 turnovers and the Bobcats from the Southland Conference took a 23-22 lead four minutes before halftime and never relinquished it in their 59-55 win.

Again, the hosts didn’t execute anything with force, and went the final five minutes before halftime with scoring. Coach Mark Fox cited his limited options at both guard spots and last minute role changes that left his team less than prepared.

“We’re so disjointed with the lineups we’ve been forced to play,” Fox said.

Once again, only two, traditional guards played for Cal as Devin Askew led the Bears with 17 points, but missed 10 of his 15 shots, and Joel Brown went scoreless off the bench with five turnovers.

Overall, the hosts weren’t a mess statistically, but their deliberate pace produced 55 points, which is more often than not just enough to get you beat at the Division I level. After leading for much of the first half the Bears trailed by as many as 11 points after the break.

Senior guard, and two-time, All-Conference selection Mason Harrell led Texas State with 21 points and all the heady plays down the stretch as Cal got within two points of the lead with 26 seconds remaining.

Brandon Davis added 14 for the Bobcats.

“It’s how you respond, I’m so proud of all those guys in the locker room. They truly responded.” associate head coach Benny Seltzer said.

The win was the first for Texas State over a Power 5 school since 1998, and their first ever over a Pac-12 opponent. Earlier this season, the Bobcats also won at Rhode Island.

The Bears travel to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday where they will face TCU on Friday, and either Iowa or Clemson on Saturday.

Cal Bears football podcast with Morris Phillips: Cal makes the anniversary of the play proud with a comeback of their own

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

California linebacker Jackson Sirmon (8) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown on a recovery of a Stanford fumble on Sat Nov 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

On Cal Bears Football podcast with Morris;

#1 The Cal Bears (4-7) trailed for a majority of this game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley but held onto win it as the Bears Jackson Sirmon took advantage of a fumble and returned it for a 37 yard touchdown for a Cal 27-20 win at the Big Game.

#2 The Sirmon touchdown came after the Stanford Cardinal (3-8) fumbled two balls away after leading through three quarters 17-6. Cal started chipping away at the Stanford defense with Jack Plummer throwing to Monroe Young for a one yard touchdown to close the gap 17-12 at 11:18 left in the game.

#3 Jackson Simon scored at the goal line for Cal on a fumble recovery with 9:54 left in the game and a Jadyn Ott caught the two point conversion got Cal in front 20-17.

#4 Three plays in the next offensive series for the Bears Ott capitalized again carrying for a one yard score to put Cal on top for good with a ten point lead 27-17 with 0:58 left. Stanford Joshua Karty hit a 61 yard field goal for the Cardinal’s last score in a 27-20 final.

#5 Cal hosts the UCLA Bruins (8-3) Fri Nov 25th at 1:30pm at UC Berkeley. The Bruins have lost two games in a row and lost their last game to the USC Trojans (10-1) 48-45.

Join Morris for the Cal Bears podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Big Game Bounce: Sirmon’s scoop and score propels Cal past Stanford, 27-20

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–Midway through the fourth quarter of the 125th Big Game, Jackson Sirmon was just another guy on either team eager to change the narrative of a dismal season, willing to do anything possible to avoid another loss.

One play later, Sirmon was a hero, forever immortalized in the rich history of the series between Stanford and Cal.

When the football inexplicably starts exchanging hands at Memorial Stadium, grab it. Just like “The Play” 40 years ago, the intertwined memories last forever.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” Sirmon said. “All I did that play is I didn’t mess it up. The ball came right to me and I ran with it.”

Sirmon’s scoop and score–after Stanford backup quarterback Ashton Daniels then Cal’s Jeremiah Earby both fumbled on the play–gave Cal its first lead of the evening, 20-17. Prior to Sirmon’s miracle play, the Bears’ defense was confounded, trailing 17-12 and likely facing some tough questions regarding Stanford’s fast start that saw them lead 10-3 after the game’s initial possessions in the first quarter.

Both Bay Area rivals came into Saturday’s showdown saddled with a second straight losing season dragged down by a bunch of injuries, and the inability to muster much offense at all.

Stanford hadn’t scored more than 16 points in any of its previous, five games, and Cal hadn’t won a game since September 24. In front of sellout crowd, and on the 40th anniversary of Cal’s miracle, 25-20 win in 1982, something had to give.

Cal trailed 17-6 to start the fourth quarter, and they didn’t exactly jump into the driver’s seat when Jack Plummer connected with Monroe Young for Cal’s first touchdown (on their 10th offensive possession) with 11:18 remaining in the game. The ensuing two-point conversion failed, and the Bears–trailing by five–were needing the unlikely combination of a second, go-ahead touchdown along with shutting down the Cardinal for the remainder of the game.

But Stanford resorted to trickery, bringing in Daniels for a designed run that saw him stripped of the football by Daniel Scott when he approached the line and tried to bounce outside.

Earby recovered Daniels fumble, but was stripped by Daniels when the pair crossed paths. That’s when Sirmon rushed up, grabbed the ball seamlessly on a bounce and raced in from 38 yards out.

“As a defensive player, you don’t get a lot of opportunities to score touchdowns and you have to enjoy them when you get them,” Sirmon said. “It was very neat especially considering the timing of it all.”

Five plays later, and after a pair of incompletions intensified the pressure on starting quarterback Tanner McKee, he was picked off by Scott, who returned the ball 18 yards, setting up Cal, first and goal at the nine.

The third, consecutive running play for freshman Jaydn Ott finished in the end zone, and Cal was in command, up 27-17 with 58 seconds remaining.

“We know how important this game is to us as a team, our administration and our support staff,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “Our fans and students were just incredible tonight. What an awesome environment.”

The game featured several, strategical twists as both teams desperate to change their fortunes, saw their coaching staffs pull out all the stops. The Bears, with an undisclosed, chain of command calling their plays after offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave was dismissed earlier in the week, completely abandoned their run game in the first half.

Not surprising given the Bears’ desultory offensive line play, but eye-catching because Stanford came in allowing nearly six yards per rushing attempt, ranking them dead last among 131 FBS teams.

The result? Cal unleashed a short passing game that utilized Ott as a pass catcher with success, but several drops, and a critical end zone interception thrown by Plummer saw Cal go into the half trailing 10-6. The Bears failed to convert any of their first, five third down conversion attempts, and they suffered Plummer’s pick immediately after they finally converted on a fourth down attempt.

Stanford started Mitch Leigber at running back, a converted safety with no one to back him up because of a rash of injuries decimated the Cardinal’s depth chart. Leigber was terrific with 83 yards rushing on 22 carries, but when he needed a blow, coach David Shaw elected to lift McKee and bring on Daniels as a quarterback whose sole intent was to run the ball. But on Daniels seventh rush attempt the game switched as he was stripped and fumbled.

Cal (4-7, 2-6) finishes its season on Friday afternoon with a home game against UCLA.

DWIGHT GARNER PASSES, MOEN STATUE REVEALED: A 1,500 pound Statue of Cal hero Kevin Moen was debuted in a ceremony outside the stadium on Friday with the likeness of the rugby, football star holding the football high above his head as he did after crossing the goal line, concluding “The Play” in 1982.

At the ceremony, it was announced that Dwight Garner, an Oakland native and a freshman in ’82, passed away this week after battling prostate cancer in Florida. Garner, 58, handled the third lateral on “The Play” and was nearly tackled before shuttling the ball, and prolonging the play. It was his portion of the sequence that embittered Stanford players who felt Garner’s knee was down before he released the ball.

Southern Discomfort: Bears start slow, never settle in, and fall at home to Southern U. 74-66

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–A slow start and tentative play doomed the Cal Bears again in a 74-66 home loss to Southern.

The Bears trailed 9-1 and 31-15 as the Jaquars, from the SWAC conference, came out hot, then gained confidence on a night they would shoot a blistering 52 percent from three. A dejected coach Mark Fox started with perimeter defense when trying to dissect how his team fell to 0-4.

“I can’t put a defense together that gives us a chance to win,” Fox admitted. “Twelve 3-point makes, and we repeatedly failed to guard the 3-point line.”

The visitors, coached by former Kentucky Sean Woods, weren’t necessarily brimming with confidence after starting their season with double-digit losses at UNLV, Arizona and St. Mary’s, but they did gain some traction with their competitive, first half against the Gaels on Wednesday. Their emphasis on exploiting their quickness advantage at the guard spots was spot on as their screens designed to free up shooters gave Cal fits.

“No doubt,” Woods declared when told Fox said SU’s fleet guards were problems. “We can shoot, dribble and pass and we did it tonight.”

Brion Whitley led Southern with 18 points, and P.J. Byrd and Dre’Shawn Allen each scored 13. The trio was a combined 12 for 12 from the foul stripe as Cal was made to pay when they resorted to reaching when trying to defend.

The Bears never led, but they did shoot better in the second half after trailing 38-26 at the break. After making just seven field goals in the first 20 minutes, Cal improved to 50 percent shooting the rest of the way, including 7 of 16 from three. But throughout they never appeared confident, and Southern’s defense retreated to the painted area, daring Cal to make some outside shots.

Lars Thiemann, who finished with 15 points, saw his impact lessened when Southern packed it in. Cal was left to hoist perimeter shots, some which fell, but the process kept them from gaining any rhythm offensively. Devin Askew led the Bears with 21 points, but the transfer guard had a rough evening with seven missed shots and seven turnovers.

“I’m asking Devin Askew to do everything,” Fox said. “He’s having to do too much. We’re asking him to do more than is probably fair.”

Fox wanting to put emphasis on his belief that his team’s winless start falls squarely on his shoulders, declined to make any of his players available to the media after the game.

Cal last started a season with four, consecutive losses in 1998. The Bears are 35-64 in their first 99 games under Fox, who could suffer an, unprecedented fourth, consecutive losing season with stops at Nevada and Georgia prior to coming to Cal in his 17 seasons as a head coach.

Could help be arriving soon? That’s to be determined as Cal is still without transfer DeJuan Clayton, who Fox says has yet to practice due to a lower body injury. Guard Jarred Hyder is also out, and leading, returning scorer Jalen Celestine isn’t expected to see action for another three to four weeks after off-season surgery.

“It’s going to be a work in progress until we get another shooter on the floor,” Fox said.

The Bears host Texas State on Monday before traveling to Florida for two games over the Thanksgiving break.

Cal Bears football podcast with Michael Duca: Cal has home field for Big Game; Can Bears edge Stanford for the Ax?

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

California wide receiver Monroe Young (14) misses a pass from quarterback Jack Plummer during the second half of the team’s NCAA college football game against Oregon State at Corvallis on Sat Nov 12, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Cal Bears football podcast with Michael:

#1 Cal who fired two of their assistant coaches on Sunday Bill Musgrave offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Angus McClure was this firing a matter of a poor job of coaching the offense by Musgrave and McClure or the talent on the Bears just isn’t there?

#2 Head coach Justin Wilcox said that it was in the best interest of the team and that changes in the coaching staff was necessary.

#3 After the changes in assistants how do you see the benefit of the change for the Bears offense going forward.

#4 Cal is on a six game losing streak at this rate is there a possibility if the continue to lose do you see them making a change at head coach with Justin Wilcox?

#5 Stanford has lost three straight games going into the Big Game this Saturday Cal has home field can you see a chance for a bounce back especially after the assistant coaching changes for Cal to edge this one out?

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

Still Searching For A Win: Bears Fall to 0-3 with 64-62 loss at UC San Diego

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

The Golden Bears now have surprising losses to Division I newcomer UC San Diego in consecutive seasons.

And not only that: only four UCSD players returned from the 80-67 win in the season opener for both teams in Berkeley a year ago, so essentially Cal has fallen to two, different groups of Tritons.

The one constant? 6’3″ junior guard Bryce Pope.

Pope spearheaded the host’s first half surge that saw UCSD lead by as many as 18 points, then hold on for a 64-62 win. Last season, Pope laced Cal with 18 points on four threes. On Tuesday in front of a raucous, sellout crowd in La Jolla, Pope led the Tritons with 19 points including five 3-pointers, and the back breaker with 12 seconds remaining.

Coach Mark Fox didn’t like what he saw from his Bears early, as they dug themselves into a 28-10 hole, and in his opinion, didn’t follow the game plan.

“We did nothing that we wanted to do in the first half defensively,” Fox said.

At halftime, Fox admitted that he eschewed making changes, but simply asked his guys to play with greater attention to the original plan. And they did, cutting a 37-27 halftime deficit to one point twice in the game’s last three minutes. But the Bears never grabbed a lead, and they were sent home with a defeat when Pope connected from distance, increasing UC San Diego’s lead to 64-60 with 12 seconds left.

Devin Askew, who led Cal with 13 points, cut the lead in half with a driving layup, but he couldn’t connect on a desperation runner at the buzzer from 30 feet that would have given Cal the win.

Fox, beginning his fourth season as head coach, saw his record drop to 35-61, and he certainly didn’t come to Berkeley to be a conduit energizing other UC system schools. But that’s where he stands with an 0-5 record against UCLA, 0-2 against UC San Diego and a 2019 win against UC Davis, as well as an eye-opening loss 75-65 to the Aggies in this season’s opener.

His frustration was evident in post-game remarks on the Cal radio network.

“Does the bus have to run over you before you concentrate?” Fox said. “We played with much more purpose in the second half than we did in half number one.”

The Bears missed seven of their first eight shots, and committed eight turnovers in the game’s first eight minutes. Again, they played better approaching halftime, and during frantic, second half rally, but the desired result didn’t materialize.

Starters Lars Thiemann, Kuany Kuany and Grant Newell also scored in double figures for Cal, as that trio had an exemplary 18 of 21 performance from the foul line. But the Bears didn’t fare well defensively on the perimeter and they certainly missed Jalen Celestine, Jarred Hyder and DeJuan Clayton–all out with injuries–in that regard.

The Bears return home for a Friday night meeting with the Southern Jaquars from the SWAC conference in search of their first win.