Category: NCAA

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Gealer buckets 30 points in Stanford’s 95-75 win

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Benny Gealer Stanford Cardinal takes careful aim against the SMU Mustangs on Sat Feb 28, 2026 (photo by Stanford Cardinal)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Michael, a great night for Stanford Cardinal Benny Gealer scoring and leading with 30 points to help beat the Pitt Panthers 75-67.

#2 Always dependable Ebuka Okorie also had plenty of opportunities to finish second in scoring with 22 points.

#3 Aidan Cammann finished third in scoring with 15 points. The Cardinal were able to hand SMU’s defense and get the kind of scoring they needed.

#4 AJ Rohosy finished fourth in scoring with eight points. Rohosy has been instrumental throughout this season.

#5 Up next for Stanford the first of two games on the road at Notre Dame on Wed Mar 4 and the Cardinal close out the regular season on Sat Mar 7 at NC State 11:15am. The Cardinal are 17-11 going on this road trip how do you see the Cardinal going up against Notre Dame and NC State.

Michael Roberson filled in for Daniel Dullum who podcasts Stanford basketball weekends for

http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Pittsburg Stuns California on their Senior Day and Home finale, 72-56!!

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California Golden Bear (#7) guard Dai Dai Ames shoots a corner three-pointer over Pittsburg Panther (#8) guard Omari Witherspoon on February 28th, 2026, in Berkeley, California, at the Haas Pavilion. (Photo credits to Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – California played its last home game of the season on Saturday afternoon, hosting the Pittsburg Panthers on the Golden Bears’ Senior Day. A goodbye to their seniors, the fans who always came to the games, and to the “Haas of Pain.” This game is potentially a big one for Cal, as a win could solidify their chances of making it to the NCAA March Madness tournament. This game also meant a lot to Pittsburg as their fighting for the last seed in their conference tournament. So with that, both teams came out fighting, but the Panthers would be able to endure the “Haas of Pain” and win the game by 16 points, 72-56.

The last time the Panthers and the Golden Bears ran into each other was on January 1st, 2025, in Pittsburg. The game would go to the Panthers, 86-74. The all-time series between these two schools is 2-2, so a win today will give the lead to either of them. California entered this game riding a three-game winning streak; their most recent win was three days ago against SMU, 73-69. However, the Golden Bears aren’t too golden as they lost the last two recent matchups to Pittsburg in a row. After todays game, California would now have dropped the last 3 games in a row to Pittsburgh.

California started with a familiar lineup we’ve all seen. The Golden Bears went with guards Justin Pippen, Dai Dai Ames, and forwards John Camden, Chris Bell, and Lee Dort. Lee Dort was out on injury for seven games, but made his return in the Bears’ last game against the SMU Mustangs. California honored seven graduating Bears before the game in a Senior Day ceremony. The graduating Bears were DeJuan Campbell, John Camden, Milos Ilic, Nolan Dorsey, Chris Bell, Rytis Petraitis, and Lee Dort.

The Panthers came into the Pavilion with forwards Roman Siulepa, Cameron Corhen, and guards Omari Witherspoon, Damarco Minor, and Barry Dunning Jr. Pittsburg senior Cameron Corhen has been on a run lately, averaging 19.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4 assists in their last three games. They also sit on a three-way tie with Notre Dame and Boston College for the last spot in the upcoming ACC Tournament.

With the crowd on their feet and ready to cheer on the Bears. Pittsburgh Panthers guard Damarco Minor would hit a three-pointer, followed right up by a fastbreak dunk. This quick 5-0 scoring run would quite the fans for now. Eventually, Lee Dort would get the Bears on the board with a quick layup inside the paint.

In the first 10 minutes of play, Cal was having a rough start in the afternoon with already having 6 turnovers. While Pittsburg just had 1 turnover, and was shooting well on the court to back up their lead. The Panthers were shooting 43% while the Bears were at a low 37%. The score was 7-14, but Bear Dejuan Campbell scored 5 points by himself in 5 minutes to bring the score to 12-14.

Guard Dejuan Campbell’s impact in the 1st half sparked the Golden Bears to lock in and focus on the team’s last home game. The Bears would finish the first half with 12 turnovers, and gave up 14 points in those turnovers. However, the Bears’ shooting brought them closer. As they never had the lead at all during the game, but that would change in the 2nd half.

At halftime, the Golden Bears were down to the Panthers 34-26. Dejuan would lead the Bears with 8 points in his 9 minutes of playing time. His impact and presence on the court was a big factor for the Bears to come back and win this game. His ability to be ready at all times and at anytime proves how valuable their bench is. The Bears’ bench would go and put up 12 points in the 1st half.

The Panthers again would get the half going off another three-pointer from Damarco Minor. Then Golden Bear forward Chris Bell would get a three-pointer to fall right after Minor’s shot. Cal is entering this half playing catch-up to Pittsburgh. With 10 minutes into play, nothing much has changed. The Bears would be able to hit some shots, then eventually go on multiple scoring droughts. Which was really slowing down their comeback. The score is now 52-44, Panthers hold a 8 point lead.

With 4 minutes left, the Bears are starting to run out, and safe to say Dai Dai Ames is on it. Ames drives to the paint for a layup, getting fouled, and knocking down his free throw for a three-point play. His efforts, trying to somehow get the Bears going and the crowd back in the game wasn’t enough. Especially the Panthers going on a 7-0 scoring run right after that. Pushing Pittsburgh’s lead to 14 points in this timeframe.

Although the results weren’t what the Bears and their fans were expecting. The graduating bears and players put on one last show in their home. They were lead by Dai Dai Ames with 11 points and 2 rebounds. On the other side of the bench, Pittsburgh Panthers forward Barry Dunning Jr would put up a double-double in Berkeley’s home finale.

The California Golden Bears have two more games left in the season, but will be on the road. Their first stop will be against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on March 4th, then they will end their season against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on March 7th. These last few games will project the Golden Bears’ chances for the NCAA March Madness tournament and their seeding placement in the ACC Tournament.

UC Davis Aggies Fall to Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on their Senior Night, 77-73

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UC Davis Aggie (#4) guard Connor Sevilla shoots a midrange jumper in the 1st half at the University Credit Union Center on February 26th, 2026, at Davis, California. (Photo credits to Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

DAVIS – The Aggies played their final home game of the season on Thursday evening, also celebrating their graduating seniors from UC Davis. Not only was this win crucial for the Aggies and their seniors, but it also helped the Aggies climb the Big West standings, as there is a three-way tie for first place. The Aggies are just one game behind those three teams, sitting in fourth place in the Big West Conference, and it just so happens. Their matchup, Hawaii, is one of the three teams tied for first place. So the Aggies and Rainbow Warriors went toe to toe in the Credit Union Center. However, it would be Hawaii celebrating as they pull an upset on UC Davis, 77-73.

Hawaii leads the all-time series at 12-16, with Hawaii taking the win in their first matchup on December 4th, 2025, in Hawaii with a final score of 75-69. Hawaii is 19-7 overall and 11-5 in the conference going into this week. The Rainbow Warriors, who rank fourth in the country in three-point percentage defense and 11th in defensive rebounds per game, are well known for their defense and rebounding. So with that in mind, Hawaii came into this game sticking to what they know. This win would now change the all-time series to 12-17.

UC Davis started with Isaiah Chappell, Niko Rocak, Marcus Wilson, Connor Sevilla, and Carl Daughtery Jr. After leading the Aggie frontcourt with 6.8 rebounds per game and setting the program’s single-season (58) and single-game (6) block records, Niko Rocak begins his third season at UC Davis. This team was able to protect their home well, as entering this game, they were 12-3 in their center. Also, for the fans who believe in coincidences, when wearing white uniforms, the Aggies hold an 8-3 record.

The Rainbow Warriors started with Harry Rouhliadeff, Isaac Finlinson, Isaac Johnson, Dre Bullock, and Hunter Erickson. This is also Hawaii’s final regular-season road trip in the Big West. It’s important to note that Hawaii has lost the last five trips to Davis and is looking to get its first win since 2021. Hawaii Dre Bullock is averaging 17.2 ppg in the last six games for the Rainbow Warriors.

Right at tip-off, the Aggies’ mindset was to take it to the Rainbow Warriors, and they did. Going on a quick 5-0 scoring run to get it going. Quickly, Hawaii responded with a 5-0 scoring run on their end. In the first half, Hawaii would put up 7 three-pointers on the Aggies and was able to take advantage of UC Davis turnovers. The Aggies would give up 12 turnovers, so Hawaii used that and dropped 14 points in those.

Hawaii’s defense wanted to show the Aggies and their fans that they want to take first place in their conference. So the defense came to play, forcing 8 steals on UC Davis. The Rainbow Warriors were able to hold the lead for pretty much the whole 1st half. They held the lead for 13 minutes, and there are only 20-minute halves. Hawaii’s Isaac Johnson is leading them with 14 points in the 1st half.

At halftime, the Aggies are down by 12 points, 43-31. Marcus Wilson is leading the Aggies in points so far with 11 points. However, Hawaii is making its presence known in the paint with 20 points in the key. Also, the Rainbow Warriors are shooting above 54% in all the categories, while UC Davis shooting is in the opposite direction. The Aggies only put up 3 three-pointers, shooting a total of 11, which puts their deep shooting percentage at 27%.

Hawaii Harry Rouhliadeff got the 2nd half going with a three ball. Keeping the momentum that Hawaii created in the 1st half going. After 5 minutes into the 2nd half, the Aggies were ready to make a run, hitting back-to-back three pointers to cut the lead to 4 points. This would turn into a 9-0 scoring run, and give the team and fans to get on their feet. The score is now 52-49.

Both schools are showing out, hustling on every play, and need this win to increase their lead in the standings. Things went cold for both of them as Davis’ hot scoring run would lead them to a scoring drought for 3 minutes. Those 3 minutes were crucial for their comeback. While Hawaii had its last 8 shot attempts, only 1 would go in. Hawaii would be able to hang on and bring its lead back to 8 points, 56-48.

With 8 minutes left in this Big West showdown, UC Davis is still playing catch up to Hawaii as they still hold the lead. The score was now 62-59, Aggies are down 3 points. Both teams are tightening up on their defense as they know this game is crucial. The Aggies also were really focusing on knocking down shots, in the 2nd half, they have already made 5 over their 3 three-pointers in the 1st half.

The Aggies would again run into a road bump and get themselves in a scoring drought for almost 3 minutes. Aggies struggling to convert a shot is what’s ultimately holding them back from this game. So if UC Davis wasn’t going to make their shots. Hawaii would take advantage and make theirs. They would push the lead back to 9 points, 70-61.

2 minutes left in this game, and the Aggies are still fighting their way to a win in this one. The only problem is, Hawaii is looking to finish them off and win the game to help them increase their chances for 1st place. The score was 73-68, down just 5 points. The Aggies already passed the points they scored in the 1st half, they have scored 37 in the 2nd half so far compared to their 31 points in the 1st half.

Although UC Davis was able to make some tough baskets, that were shedding some light on them. It wasn’t enough, as Hawaii was able to feel the win with 11 seconds left, up by 2 points, and had the ball. In Hawaii, Isaac Finlinson would get fouled on the inbound pass. The Aggies’ last hope to somehow pull a win, but Finlinson hits both of his free throws and secures the win for the Rainbow Warriors. The final score would be 77-73, Hawaii’s first win in Davis since 2021.

Hawaii has now won 20 games in this season, but making it their fourth straight 20 and more wins in a row. UC Davis will head to the road to SoCal and face off against Long Beach State on March 5th, 2026, at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California. The Aggies fall to seventh place while Hawaii takes first place in the Big West conference after tonight’s game. Also, next weekend, UC Davis will visit UC Irvine in another Big West game on national television for the final regular-season game of the year on ESPNU.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Okorie can’t be stopped tops scorers with 34 in Stanford’s 75-67 win over Pitt

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Stanford Cardinal Ebuka Okorie (1)gets the throw down against the Pitt Panthers at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Wed Feb 25, 2026 (Stanford Cardinal X photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Pitt’s defense had trouble handling Stanford’s leading scorer Ebuka Okorie (G) and his playmaking throughout the game?

#2 Which Stanford role players — such as Ebuka Okorie, Benny Gealer, Jeremy Dent-Smith and AJ Rohosy — made the biggest impact, and in what ways?

#3 What adjustments did Pitt need to make after Stanford’s early offensive runs, and were they effective later in the game?

#4 How did the performance of Stanford’s bench players Ryan Agarwal, Aidan Cammann, Oskar Giltay, Cameron Grant influence the flow of the final minutes?

#5 What were the key matchups — such as Pitt’s best rebounders vs. Stanford’s interior players like Rohosy — that determined control of the paint?

#6 Stanford hosts the SMU Mustangs who lost Wednesday to the Cal Bears and dropped their overall record 19-9. The Mustangs will be going into this game with a vengence do you see this being a tight game this Sat Feb 28th with a 3:00pm tip at Maples Pavilion.

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

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva: Cal picks up 20th win and third straight win over SMU

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Cal Bears guard Justin Pippin (10) takes a jump shot against the SMU Mustangs at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Wed Feb 25, 2026 (photo by Michael Villanueva-Sports Radio Service)

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 Michael a real nailbiter right down to the end and the Cal Bears Justin Pippin put the final touches with two free throws that keyed it for Cal with 12 second left in the game to give Cal a 72-69 lead and the win.

#2 SMU Mustangs came in the challenger with the same identicial record as Cal at 19-8 but it was the Bears who stayed ahead of the Mustangs for most of the game to come away with a three point win.

#3 Pippin who got those two final free throws also led Cal in socring with 24 points the Mustangs just couldn’t contain him on defense.

#4 Michael, the Bears Chris Bell followed finishing second in scoring with 20 points Bell was also intrumental coming away with Cal’s 20th win on the 25-26 campaign.

#5 Next up for Cal the Pitt Panthers who got beat by Stanfordo on Wednesday night 75-67 at Stanford. The Panthers are now 10-18 a struggling bunch who come to Haas Pavilion on Saturday for a 1:00pm matinee. Cal is on a roll they have won three in a row as Cal head coach Mark Madson picks up his first career win against SMU.

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

Cal Bears Win 3 in a Row, as they Beat SMU Mustangs, 73-69

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California Golden Bear forward (#2) John Camden drives to the basket for the slam against SMU Mustangs in the Haas Pavilion on February 25th, 2026, at Berkeley, California. (Photo credits to Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – The California Golden Bears hosted the SMU Mustangs on Wednesday night at Haas Pavilion, four days after the Bears’ big win over their school rival, Stanford last Saturday. The final score of that game was 72-66, so the Golden Bears were ready to stay golden on their home court.

Cal did exactly that as they beat the SMU Mustangs, 73-69 on Wednesday night, Bears forward Chris Bell scored his third straight 20 points or more game this season doing it in 22 games.

The last time the Mustangs and the Bears faced off was on February 26th, 2025, in Berkeley as the Mustangs got the win, 81-77. For California head coach Mark Madsen he was looking for his first win against SMU. As the Bears trail in the all-time series with the Mustangs, 1-4, noting that Cal has lost the last four in a row to SMU. However, things can change in a year, and all that would change Wedneday as the Bears were able to defeat the Mustangs.

Over the last ten games, both schools went 6-4 and are right on each other’s tail as the season gets closer to its end. Prior to the game Cal was sitting in ninth place while the Mustangs were ahead of them in eighth place. So both schools came into Haas Pavilion determined to win and help their school rank as high as possible before the Men’s ACC basketball tournament, which starts on March 10th through the 14th.

Cal started with Dai Dai Ames, Justin Pippen, John Camden, Bell, and Milos Ilic. Ames is averaging 17.1 points and shooting 47.2%. Over the past ten games, Camden has made 3.3 3-pointers on average. Camden is also top-25 in the nation on his 3-point shooting percentage at 42.4%, along with Pippen being in the top-75 in the nation in steals at 1.84 per game.

For the Mustangs, Kevin Miller averages 18.7 points, 6.9 assists, and 1.8 steals. Over the past ten games, Jaron Pierre Jr. has averaged 18.2 points. The Mustangs’ starting five were B.J. Edwards, Boopie Miller, Corey Washington, Samet Yigitglu, and Jaron Pierre Jr. This is SMU’s only meeting with Berkeley this season.

Camden got the balling going with a jumper, followed by back to back three pointers from Bell. Bell’s last home game four days ago he dropped 20 points against Stanford.

After the first five minutes of play, the score was 13-9, and the Bears led over the Mustangs due to Bell’s hot start. Altogether, Cal has already made five 3 three pointers. Cal is shooting above 50% in all categories while the Mustangs are shooting below 44%. Also, for two minutes, the Mustangs went scoreless, which helped the Bears hold the lead.

Ten minutes into play Bell made a strong cut to the basket on the baseline for a layup, forcing SMU coach Andy Enfield to call a timeout. The Bears increased their lead by seven, the score is now 20-13. Again, the Mustangs found themselves in another scoring drought for two minutes and a half minutes, so the Bears kept taking advantage and taking it to them. Bell at 13 points, led the team early in this game.

At half, the Bears held onto the lead, 38-33. However, it got physical and chippy between the two clubs. Both teams are were shooting, playing, and statistically in the same play pool as each other. Bell is leading the Bears still, but with 15 points, two rebounds, and one assist. Cal is playing cautious and smart with the ball as they know the Mustangs thrive on turnovers, so they have limited their turnovers with just four in the first half, while the Mustangs had six turnovers.

Coming back from their lockers, Pippen hit a midrange jumper to break the ice and in the second half is when SMU got things going. Cal had gone through a scoring drought for three minutes. During that drought, the Mustangs fought their way back, going on a 7-0 scoring run. With 13 minutes remaining in the game, the Mustangs got their first lead of the night at 46-45. Pippen was able to record his 23rd double-digit point in 26 games.

In the final ten minutes, Cal’s shooting took a wrong turn, like in the final half. The Bears were able to just make two three pointers compared to their five in the first half.

Camden was able to get a bucket to make it a total of three, and give the Bears back the lead at 53-50. Cal and SMU continue to go at it and exchange buckets against each other. SMU made a three, but Cal came right down the court to hit a three and get their fans back into the game.

In the final two minutes of the game, SMU forward Corey Washington scored seven points on his own to give the Mustangs back the lead at 65-64. Pippen would hit a midrange jumper to get the lead back to put the Bears in front 68-67.

Then, later, after SMU couldn’t get a basket, Pippen smartly drew a foul to send him to the free-throw line. He would make both of them and push the lead by three points, 70-67. Cal would end up finishing and taking home the win.

Cal went onto another win on their home floor, as they and SMU switch places in the ACC standings. Cal picking up their 20th win and SMU taking their tenth loss.

The Golden Bears are now in eighth place while the Mustangs move down to the ninth seed. This win was also Cal head coach Mark Madsen’s first career win against SMU as Cal now jumps to three straight wins in a row.

The Bears will return right back in the Haas Pavilion on Saturday, Feb. 28th, 2026, at 1 p.m for Senior Day. Cal will host the Pittsburgh Panthers and hopefully look to take the lead in the all-time series lead which currently stands at 2-2. Pittsburgh has won the last two meetings over Cal.

Stanford Cardinal game wrap: Cardinal held the Panthers at bay 75-67, inside Maples Pavilion; Okorie 34

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Stanford Cardinal Ebuka Okorie (1) drives on Pitt Panthers guard DeMarco Minor (7) at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Wed Feb 25, 2026 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — Freshman Phenom Ebuka Okorie’s 34 points led his Stanford Cardinal 17-11. 6-9 ACC) to a hard fought victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers (10-18, 3-12 ACC) 75-67, in Atlantic Coast Conference action, on a Wednesday Afternoon on the Farm.

The visiting cats from the Steel City got the conference contest started with the first four points of the game, before Stanford could even activate the scoreboard.  Although the Panthers would be in the lead for more than 17 minutes, there was a very competitive exchange of being in front by both teams.  Eight lead changes took place within the first 20 minutes of the game, and only one time tied.

Pitt led by as many as seven points, while Stanford could only get in front by one point.  The Panthers shot %6% from the floor, and 38% from Three.  They shot a respectable 75% from the free throw line.  Stanford, on the other hand, was 48% from the floor, 57% beyond the arc, and perfect from the “charity stripe.”

With all the excitement and back and forth scoring, the felines from the Quaker State were able to hold on to a two-point lead at recess, 34-32.  Both teams had one player to reach double-figures in scoring.  Benny Gealer topped the Cardinal, with 10 points, while senior forward Cameron Corhen led the Panthers with 14 points and six rebounds.

In the second half, Stanford scored the first points, on Okorie free throws.  There would be more see/saw action in the final 20-minute block.  There were four more ties and seven more lead changes.  The Cardinal got out in front by as many as eight points late in the the half, and that was the final margin at the final horn.

However, before that was the outcome, Stanford had to withstand an 11-0 run by the Panthers.  They were able to perform an 11-1 run of their own to put them back in the driver’s seat.  During this frenetic stretch, Okorie exploded for 28 second half points, willing his team to victory.

Stanford managed to shoot at a higher clip from the field, and remained perfect from the free throw line.  Whereas, the Panthers shot significantly worse in the second stanza, as well as from the freebee zone.  The Cardinal’s defense can take some credit for those dismal numbers.

When the 40 minutes of gametime elapsed, the Cardinal responded from their previous loss and pulled out a gutsy victory at home by eight points, 75-67.

Okorie led all scorers with 34 points, six assists and six rebounds.  The aforementioned Gealer gave his team 12 points, while Aidan Cammann added 11.  Cameron Corhen topped the Panthers with 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists.  Barry Dunning  Jr. offered 19 points and five rebounds. and Nojus Indrusaitis put up 10 points for the cause.

Stanford will next be in action Saturday, February 28 inside Maples on Senior Day, hosting the SMU Mustangs at 3 PM PT on the ACC Network.  the Panthers traverse across the Bay to Berkeley to face Cal on the same date at 1 PM PT on the same network.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Stanford can’t win on Cal’s floor in 72-66 loss

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Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie sits on the Stanford bench during warm ups before their game against the Cal Bears at Cal Berkeley on Sat Feb 21, 2026 (Stanford Cardinal X photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 How will freshman guard Ebuka Okorie’s scoring ability (averaging ~22.5 points per game) impact Stanford’s offensive strategy against Cal?

#2 What adjustments can Stanford make to support Okorie if teammates like Benny Gealer or Aidan Cammann struggle offensively?

#3 How might Stanford’s defense try to contain Cal’s balanced attack after personnel like Chris Bell and John Camden had big outputs in their last matchup?

#4 What role could Stanford forward AJ Rohosy play on the boards against Cal’s big men and how critical could his rebounding be?

#5 Can players such as Jeremy Dent-Smith step up in key moments to complement Okorie’s offense and shift the momentum in Stanford’s favor?

Michael Roberson filled in for Daniel Dullum on the Stanford Cardinal podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Dons Fall to Santa Clara Broncos on their Senior Night, 94-73

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San Francisco Don guard (5) Tyrone Riley IV shoots a three-pointer in the second half at the War Memorial Gym at the Sobrato Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday. February 21st, 2026. (Photo credits to Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – After hosting the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the home of the Golden State Warriors, Chase Center, as a home game. The San Francisco Dons returned to the Hilltop for their last home game of the season to host the Santa Clara Broncos (22-6, 13-2 WCC). This game was also a farewell to their seniors graduating, as this was the Dons’ Senior Night. However, the Dons failed to get the win for them and their fans as they fell to SCU, 94-73. Santa Clara ends up with a season series sweep against San Francisco.

This regular-season home finale represented the 239th all-time matchup between San Francisco and Santa Clara, with the Broncos maintaining a slim 121–117 advantage in the series history. When the two teams first met on Jan. 28, Santa Clara erupted for 54 second-half points, pulling away from the Dons for an 88–73 win at the Leavey Center and claiming the early edge in the season series. After tonight, the all time series is a 5 win lead for Santa Clara as it’s now 122-117. The Broncos wanted to show the Bay Area and the city of San Francisco that they weren’t afraid, and they came to play.

During the last three seasons, the home team had won each of the last five games between USF and SCU, while the green and gold aimed to secure a third straight season-series split. Entering Saturday night with a 4–4 home record in conference play, the Dons aimed to preserve an eight-season streak of finishing with a winning home record in West Coast Conference action. The last time San Francisco posted a losing home record in league play came in 2015–16, when the Dons went 4–5 at home and 8–10 overall in WCC play.

San Francisco Dons started the game with guards Ryan Beasley, Tyrone Riley IV, Vukasin Masic, and forwards Guillermo Diaz Graham and Junjie Wang. Ryan Beasley leads the Dons with the most average points per game at 13.4 and with the most average assists per game at 3.9.

Santa Clara Bronoc started their five with Brenton Knapper, Christian Hammond, Elijah Mahi, Jake Ensminger, and Bukky Oboye. Christian Hammond leads the Broncos with the most average points per game at 16.4, and Jake Ensminger leads the most assists in a game at 3.0.

Right at tip-off, both sides of the teams’ fan section were on their feet as both teams’ first baskets were three-pointers. After that, both teams exchanged solid and fast buckets on each other, the Broncos’ defense was locked in as the Dons had 3 turnovers in 2 minutes after their hot start. Just as the Dons were slowly starting to find their way out of that early funk, Broncos Christian Hammond made 3 straight three pointers to push the Broncos to an early lead of 10 points, 34-24 in the first 10 minutes of play.

In the 1st half, both teams were shooting the ball well. The Dons and the Broncos are shooting above 52% in all of the categories. However, the Dons are leading the Broncos in turnovers as USF has 10 while SCU just has 4. In those 10 turnovers, the Broncos were able to put up 14 points off of those as SCU was able to control their lead, and so far, the game too.

At halftime, the Broncos are leading 44-38. Dons guard Ryan Beasley hits a half-court shot at the buzzer to get the crowd and the Dons’ spirit high going into the break. Both teams have already made 8 three pointers in the game, showing how badly these teams want to grab this win for their schools.

The second half showed some fire and fight in the Dons, but that spirit and determination weren’t enough for them to come back. The Broncos were all over the Dons, and at one point in the second half, they had a 22 point lead, which was their largest on the Dons in this game.

The Broncos’ presence in the paint on grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds was a challenge for the Dons to keep up with. Especially since the Dons kept adding turnovers by being careless with the ball at times, and were locked up by Santa Clara’s defense. The Broncos’ defense picked up 13 steals altogether and held the lead pretty much the whole game. The Dons only led for one minute.

Santa Clara wasn’t phased by being in the Dons’ home as they kept knocking down big shots that killed the Dons and their fans spirit. Especially the Broncos hitting 8 three’s in the first half. Santa Clara also had a 50-point second half for Santa Clara. The Broncos looked great from start to finish, and wanted this win to be a statement in this series between the two bay area schools.

The Broncos beat the Dons by 21 points in this game. Broncos Elijah Mahi led the Broncos as he had 30 points and 7 rebounds. For the Dons, Ryan Beasley led the way with his 22 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds. His efforts and attempts in this game weren’t enough for the Dons to come back from behind in their home.

The San Francisco Dons will head to the Central Valley area, in Stockton, to take on the Pacific Tigers in the final game of the season. That game will take place on February 28th, 2026, on CBS Sports Network in Stockton at the Alex G. Spanos Center. The Dons will also try to get a season series sweep against the Tigers as they won against them on January 31st, 2025, in the War Memorial gym at the Sobrato Center, final score was 87-82.

Cardinal chopped down in Bears’ Territory 72-66; swept in the Battle of the Bay

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Cal Bears guard DJ Campbell (1) dribbles against the Stanford Cardinal guard Benny Gealer (5) at Haas Pavilion in Berekeley on Sat Feb 21, 2026 (Cal Bears X photo)

By Micahel Roberson

BERKELEY, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (16-11, 5-9 ACC) were unable to split the Battle of the Bay, after a second consecutive loss 72-66 to the California Golden Bears (19-8, 7-7 ACC).

Cal began the battle with a 5-0 run to mark their territory. Within the initial 20-minute portion of the game, Stanford never took a lead, but tied once. The Golden Bears had the lead for nearly 19 minutes. That advantage was as high as 14, and was the amount at recess, 39-25.

Stanford shot an abysmal 38% from the field and free throw line. Beyond the arc was worse (22%). Cal, on the other hand, shot 42% from 2, 40% from 3, and 88% from the charity stripe. They also grabbed 21 rebounds, while the cross-Bay visitors had 9 turnovers,

No Cardinal hooper was in double-figures, although Ebuka Okorie was close with 9 points and 8 rebounds. Cal had two players reach( that plateau, Dai Dai Ames (13) and Chris Bell (10).

In the second half, the Golden Bears were able to maintain the lead, but Stanford did reduce it as low as 5 points, but could not get over the hump. The Cardinal got the deficit into single digits several time, but untimely missed free throws and their inability to covert baskets from two or three inhibited any miracle comeback victory.

Stanford’s field goal percentage even got worse (29%) in the second half, while there was improvement from Three & Free Land. They also reduced their turnovers to a lone one in the final 20 minutes of play. Cal also shot worse in half number two, and was actually outscored by the Cardinal. However, that 8-point advantage was not enough to overcome the14-point lead at halftime.

After the whistle blew at the 40-minute mark of the game, Cal had done something they had not done in 16 years; sweep the Battle of the Bay series. Although it was a six points margin (72-66) at the horn, Cal led from wire to wire, with a single tie scenario.

The Cardinal produced four players with10+ points at the end of the game, despite not having any at halftime. Redshirt-Sophomore Aidan Cammann actually led the Cardinal in scorn, with 19 points and six rebounds. Okorie added 17 points and career high 13 rebounds. Benny Gealer chipped in 15 points with four three-pointers to boot, AJ Rohosy added 10 points and six rebounds to the Cardinal’s total.

Three Cal representatives offered double-digit scoring for their group. Senior forward and Bay Area native, Chris Bell led all players with 20 points, while fellow senior forward John Camden provided 18 points and 8 rebounds, and junior guard Dai Dai Ames put up 17 points and seven rebounds..

The Cardinal will next be in action Wednesday, February 25, back on the Farm to host the Pittsburgh Panthers at 5 PM PT on the ACC Network. Cal will remain in Berkeley, to host the Southern Methodist Mustangs on the same date at 7 PM PT on the same network.