Tag: ACC

Cal withstands late Wright State push for 77-67 home win

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Cal Bears guard Dai Dai Ames (7) drives past Wright State’s Kellen Pickett (4) at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Thu Nov 6, 2025 (Cal Bears photo)

By Ryan Hannagan

BERKELEY, Calif. — California (2-0) men’s basketball secured its second home victory of the season Wednesday night, defeating Wright State Raiders (1-1) 77–67 at Haas Pavilion. The Bears used an early second-half surge and steady free-throw shooting to fend off a late rally from the Raiders.

After a slow offensive start from both sides with Cal shooting 4-for-12 and Wright State 4-for-11 from the field early, the Bears built momentum behind second chance points and dominance at the free throw line. Cal finished the first half shooting 13 for 34 overall but made up ground by converting 13 free throws.

Wright State, meanwhile, struggled from the line, going just 4 for 8, but found more success from deep, connecting on four of 16 three-pointers to stay within reach. Neither team managed to create much separation through the opening 20 minutes, with Cal holding a slim 34–28 halftime advantage.

John Camden led the Bears with seven points at the break, while Wright State’s Michael Cooper matched that total to lead the Raiders.

Cal came out firing in the second half, pushing its lead to double digits with a 12 point margin midway through the half. The Bears played with rhythm and confidence, feeding off an energized Haas Pavilion crowd. Sophomore guard Dai Dai Ames took control down the stretch, finishing with a game high 23 points.

Despite trailing by as many as 16, Wright State refused to fold, closing the gap to four with under five minutes to play. But Cal’s composure and efficiency from the line sealed the victory — the Bears shot 26 for 31 (83.9%) from the stripe compared to Wright State’s 10 for 18 (55.6%).

“We talked about ball control and not being passive,” Cal head coach Mark Madsen told Sports Radio Service after the game. “Against any zone defense, if you drive the zone, something good is going to happen. We have a lot of new players still getting comfortable in their roles, but I thought Nolan Dorsey really set the tone defensively and lifted the whole team.”

Cal out rebounded Wright State 43–35 and outscored the Raiders 34–22 in the paint. The Bears also held advantages in fast-break points (12–4) and defensive rebounds (33–24).

Wright State’s Dominic Pagonis led the Raiders with 11 points off the bench.

With the win, Cal improves to 2–0 and looks to carry its momentum into the next contest against Cal State Fullerton as it continues non conference play.

Cardinal staved off Vikings’ attack 89-79, on a Tuesday (Election) Night on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) drives the Portland State Vikings at Stanford University in Palo Alto on Tue Nov 4, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (1-0) opened up their 2025-26 Men’s Basketball season with a fortified blockade (Trees) against the Portland State Vikings (0-1), 89-79, inside Maples Pavilion.

Stanford scored the first points of the game, with a bucket by freshman guard Ebuka Okorie. However, both teams had significant runs in the first half.

The Vikings immediately went on an 8-0 run, putting them ahead by six, early in the contest. The Cardinal responded expeditiously with a 9-0 run of their own, putting themselves back on top. They also eventually led by six points.

As the first half progressed, Portland State continued to fight back, but could regain their last lead (8-7) during the first 20 minutes of play.. Although they did involve their squad in three first half ties with the home team.

By the time both combatants reached recess, Stanford had upped their lead to seven, 37-30. The Cardinal forced 13 turnovers on the Vikings, while they gave away six of their own.

Leading the way for Stanford was the aforementioned Okorie, with 16 points. No hooper from PSU eclipsed double-figures; however, their senior guard Jaylin Henderson was close with nine points at the half.

The second half started with another run. The Cardinal came out of the locker room on a mission. They scored seven straight points to begin stanza number two, while also doubling the lead from the first half. That was near their largest advantage (15) of the entire game in a matter of minutes..

Despite those significant leads by the Cardinal, the Vikings continued to grasp and close the double-digit margin before the final whistle. They chopped the lead into single digits several time, but could not get over the hump again, especially in the second half. Big shots by the Cardinal offense and their intense defense down the stretch sealed the contest in the closing minutes.

After the required 40 minutes elapsed, the Palo Alto Players bested the pillagers from the Beaver State by 10 points, 89-79.

Four baller scored over 10 points for the Cardinal, including the freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie, who led all scorers with 26 points and an impressive seven rebounds. Senior forward Chisom Okpara tallied 21 points, Sr. guard Jeremy Dent-Smith (14), and fellow senior guard Benny Gealer chipped in 12 points and garnered five steals.

PSU had three players reach that plateau. Junior guard Sebastian Tidor led the Vikings with 22 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Jaylin Henderson dropped 19 points and senior forward Terri Miller Jr, contributed 14 points and four assists.

The Cardinal will next be in action Saturday, November 8, @ Maples, hosting the Montana Grizzlies at 7 PM PT on ACC Extra. Portland State heads back to Oregon to host NW Indian College, Friday, ,November 7, also at 7 PM PT, but on ESPN+.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Gulbranson benched in second half Cardinal come up short 35-20 loss to Pitt

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ben Gulbranson (15) throws one of his 30 passes against the Pitt Panthers at Stanford Stanford in Palo Alto on Sat Nov 1, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 Pitt Panthers (7-2) quarterback Mason Heintschel threw for three touchdowns for 304 yards tying his season most yards.

#2 Henintschel’s effort help lead the Panthers past the Stanford Cardinal (3-6) 35-20 at Stanford Stadium on Saturday. It was Stanford’s sixth loss of the season.

#3 Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbranson was 17 for 30 for 228 yards, one touchdown but was intercepted three times and got benched in the second half.

#4 Stanford back up quarterback Elijah Brown in place of Gulbranson went 10-14 for 108 yards, threw for one touchdown and was not intercepted. It wasn’t enough as the Panthers won it by 15 points 35-20.

#5 The Cardinal travel to UNC to take on the Tar Heels. UNC are coming off a 27-10 win snapping a four game losing streak in beating the Syracuse Orange. It’s a road game Stanford has lost their last two games. UNC has struggled and Stanford has been unpredictable how do you see this next game at UNC?

Join Daniel Dullum for the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cardinal pounced upon by the Panthers 35-20 on the Farm: 1st home loss

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Stanford Cardinal wide receiver CJ Williams (3) falls into the end zone while the Pitt Panthers cornerback Rashad Battle (15) and defensive back Kavir Bains-Marquez (23) couldn’t put the stop on Williams. It was one of two touchdowns for Williams at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto on Sat Nov 1, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (3-6, 2-4 ACC) discontinued their perfect home record, with a 35-20 defeat to fellow Atlantic Coast Conference foe Pittsburgh Panthers (7-2, 5-1) on a sunny Saturday afternoon battle in Palo Alto.

The Cardinal started the game with possession of the ball. That turned out to be not as advantageous as originally anticipated. Their drive lasted a little over two minutes, before turning the ball over on downs. A fourth down attempt was denied in their own territory (35).

The Panthers wasted no time with that early gift. They parlayed that into a touchdown in less than two minutes. Freshman QB Mason Heintschel tossed a 17-yard TD pass to junior WR Kenny Johnson. The Quaker State visitors took the lead by seven, 7-0. The Cardinal needed something to happen on their second drive.

Stanford did respond with a scoring drive of their own shortly thereafter. Senior kicker Emmett Kenney booted a 39-yard FG. That conversion brought the home team within four, 7-3. They would unexpectedly receive the ball back to the offensive side.

Pitt’s possession ended abruptly when they fumbled and turned over the ball 2 1/2 minutes into their drive. Instead of increasing their advantage, they gave Stanford the opportunity to take over the lead.

The Cardinal did just that, with hopes of keeping their undefeated streak at home alive and Coach Reich’s interim season. In less than a minute upon snatching the ball from their guest from the Keystone State, redshirt-senior QB Ben Gulbranson launched a 35-yard TD pass to senior WR C.J. Williams. Stanford was on top by three, 10-7. Although there was nearly 6 1/2 minutes left in the quarter, that lead lasted to the end of the first quarter.

Four seconds into the second quarter, Pitt’s sophomore WR Deuce Spann scampered into the endzone from four yards away. The Panthers regained the lead by four, 14-10. They had the ball back in their collective hands less than a minute later, due to a Gulbranson interception. Pittsburgh did not capitalize on that particular turnover.

Just under 10 minutes left in the half, Gulbranson threw another INT to their feline opponents, Nearly eight minutes later, Pitt was on the scoreboard again. Heintschel lofted a five-yard TD to redshirt-senior WR Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr. to increase their margin to 11, 21-10. That almost was the score at recess, but something else transpired.

Kenney came through at the whistle, with triple zeroes on the scoreboard, he booted a 45-yard FG. At halftime, Stanford closed the deficit to eight, 21-13.

With a one possession lead, Pittsburgh was starting the second half with the ball on their side. Unfortunately for them, their time with the pigskin was short lived. Although, later in the stanza, the Panthers did add more points to their total.

Heintsghel dished a 14-yard TD strike to senior TE Jake Overman, to put the ungrateful guests up by two scores, 28-13. They were not finished with the scoring opportunities; however, the next points addition was provided by the defense.

Freshman cornerback Shawn Lee Jr. orchestrated a 30-yard pick-6 on Gulbranson, giving them a three score advantage, and seemingly total control of the game, 35-13.

About five minutes later, Pitt was on the verge of blowing the game completely wide open, with the ball on the goal line. To the contrary, Heintschel inexplicably threw an ill-advised interception in the endzone, to Cardinal sophomore cornerback Brandon Nicholson. Instead of a touchdown for the Panther, it was a touchback for Stanford.

Gulbranson was replaced by his backup redshirt-freshman Elijah Brown, presumably after throwing three interceptions in three quarters. 35-13 was also the score after 45 minutes of game time.

Less than 10 minutes left in the final quadrant, Deja Vu happened for both teams when the combination of Heintschel and Nicholson in the end zone reoccurred. Another chance to debark the Cardinal thwarted. Nearly six minutes later, the Panthers let another scoring opportunity slip through their claws, when they fumbled near Stanford’s goal line. 21 potential points left on the field, despite the already 22 points advantage.

The Cardinal showed their pride inside Stanford Stadium, with :18 left in the game, Brown hit senior WR C.J. Brown for a 19-yard TD strike and a little salvation. Instead of being down by 43, they were within 15 by the completion of 60 minutes, 35-20.

The Cardinal will next be in action Saturday, November 11 in Chapel Hill, as they face the North Carolina Tar Heels at 4:30 PM ET/1:30 PM PT on The CW Network. The Panthers will be back in Pittsburgh November 16 hosting Notre Dame at TBD.

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips: Red hot Virginia kicks off with Cal Saturday at UC Berkeley

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Cal Bears wide receiver Jordan King (4) gets by Virginia Tech Hokies safety Tyson Flowers (11) in the first half at Blacksburg VA on Fri Oct 24, 2025 (AP News photo)

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips:

#1With freshman quarterback Jaron‑Keawe Sagapolutele under center for Cal, how will his ability to stretch the field and make quick reads affect Virginia’s secondary?

#2 Senior linebacker and team captain Cade Uluave anchors Cal’s defense — in what ways must he rise to meet Virginia’s physical run game and tight-end threats?

#3 Cal’s wide receiver corps includes Jacob De Jesus and QuaRon Adams — can these playmakers create separation and force Virginia’s defensive backs to commit early, thus opening up space for the Bears?

#4 Running back Kendrick Raphael is relied on to keep Cal’s offense balanced; how critical will his production be in setting up the pass and controlling tempo against Virginia’s front seven?

#5 On defense, Cal’s interior line includes players like Aidan Keanaaina and T.J. Bollers — how well can they generate pressure and disrupt Virginia’s offensive rhythm, especially on third-down situations?

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

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Can Gulbranson handle Pitt’s defensive front?

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ben Gulbranson (15) tries to get a pass away while under pressure from Miami Hurricanes defensive back Kelonte Scott (0) in the first half at Hard Stadium Miami on Sat Oct 25, 2025 (AP News photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 With Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ben Gulbranson now leading the offense, how will the Cardinal use his experience to challenge Pittsburgh’s defensive front?

#2 How important will running back Tuna Altahir be to Stanford’s game plan against the Panthers, and how can the Cardinal’s offensive line help him establish the ground game?

#3 On the defensive side, can Stanford linebacker Hunter Barth help limit big plays by Pittsburgh, especially in the passing game or on screen passes?

#4 Stanford wide receiver Jonanthony Hall is one of the younger playmakers for Stanford — how much of a factor could he be in upsetting Pittsburgh’s secondary?

#5 Finally, how is the Cardinal offensive line—anchored by senior tackle Jack Leyrer—expected to hold up against Pittsburgh’s blitzes and pass rushes?

Michael Roberson does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Stanford can’t do anything with Miami get crushed 42-7

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ben Gulbranson (15) tries to get a pass away while under pressure from Miami Hurricanes defensive back Kelonte Scott (0) in the first half at Hard Stadium Miami on Sat Oct 25, 2025 (AP News photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 Stanford Cardinal (3-5) in the first half of their game in Miami against the Miami Hurricanes (6-1) was under control and it looked as if this might turn out to be a tight ball game as it wound up as a 7-7 tie after the first half.

#2 Second half it was just a blow out the Cardinal defense couldn’t shut down the Miami offense in the third quarter the Hurricane scored 21 points and in the fourth quarter the Hurricane scored 14 to put frosting on the cake for the 42-7.

#3 The Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck had lots of time to throw in the second half and piled up points for the win. Beck went 21-28, 189 yards and one touchdown.

#4 Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbranson struggled all afternoon completing only nine passes out of 21 attempts for 50 yards and one touchdown. Gulbranson was running for his life in the second half and couldn’t move the ball to the other end.

#5 Next up for the Cardinal the Pittsburgh Panthers (6-2). Pitt is on a roll they crushed the NC State Wolfpack (4-4) 53-34 on Saturday. Pitt’s quarterback Mason Heintschel had his way going 28-48 for 423 yards, three touchdowns. Will Stanford have their hands full again with another quarterback who could have all day to throw?

Join Daniel Dullum does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips: Can Cal take advantage of a struggling Hokies team Friday?

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Cal Bears running back Kendrick Raphael takes the ball over the goal line for a touchdown against the UNC Tar Heels on Fri Oct 17, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley (East Bay Times photo)

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 How will Cal’s (5-2) offense — led by Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele — fare against Virginia Tech’s (2-6) defense, especially given his freshman status and the expectation on him?

#2 Will Kendrick Raphael’s rushing attack be able to make a difference and relieve pressure from the passing game?

#3 How significant will the role of Jacob De Jesus, Mason Mini and Trond Grizzell be in Cal’s passing/receiving game plan?

#4 Can Cal’s defense hold up against Virginia Tech’s offense — especially in key situations like third downs or the red zone?

#5 What impact might turnovers or special teams play have on the outcome of the game (for example, Cal’s return game via De Jesus, or Cal’s ability to force/exploit turnovers)?

Morris Phillips does the Cal Bears podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Cardinal looking to get past Miami’s defense Saturday

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Stanford Cardinal safety Scotty Edwards (21) shares congratulations with teammate inside linebacker Jahsiah Galvan (0) against Florida State at Stanford Stadium on Sat Oct 18, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 How will Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ben Gulbranson and wide receivers CJ Williams and Bryce Farrell try to breakthrough Miami’s tough defense that’s one of the FBS’ best?

#2 Stanford running back Micah Ford is their best running back this season will Ford’s ability and the Cardinal ground will be able to keep up with Miami’s high-powered defense?

#3 Miami’s defense is holding their opponents to 15.3 points per game and has been able to defend the run—Can Stanford counter the Miami defense and find any weaknesses against them?

#4 Offensively the Cardinal are averaging 326.3 yards per game 115 in the FBS. The Hurricanes defense had given up an average of 291.5 yards per game 15th in the FBS. Can you see any changes that Stanford needs to make to stay competitive.

#5 The Cardinal have had troubles trying to convert third downs to first downs with a low 33.7% and Miami has been able to get red zone and third down defensive success will head coach Frank Reich be able to counter that?

Stanford Cardinal podcasts are heard with Michael Roberson weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Next up Stanford takes on a very difficult Miami University can they pull it off?

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Florida State Seminoles quarterback Tommy Castellanos (1) leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against the Stanford Cardinal whose defense had been having success much of the game at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto on Sat Oct 18, 2025 (AP News photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 What adjustments did Stanford (3-4) make defensively in the fourth quarter to stop Florida State’s (3-4) late surge and secure the goal‑line stand on the final untimed down in the Cardinal 20-13 win?

#2 How did Florida State rack up 444 total yards of offense yet still fail to convert that production into a win? What key plays or opportunities did they squander?

#3 Stanford’s offense produced just 293 yards — what factors enabled them to score 20 points and win despite being outgained?

#4 What role did turnovers, penalties, or special‑teams mistakes play in the outcome of the game? Which ones were particularly costly?

#5 Stanford plays the Miami Hurricanes (5-1) next Sat Oct 25 at the University of Miami a 4:00pm PT kick off. The Hurricanes have been playing well winning three of their last four games. They did lose against the Louisville Cardinals in a close one last Saturday 24-21 for their first loss of the season. The Hurricane are 5-1 this one is on the road do you see the Cardinal with their hands full for this one?

Daniel Dullum does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com