Cal Falls to No. 20 Clemson 77–55 at Haas Pavilion on Rock Your Crocs Night

California Golden Bear forward #22 Chris Bell shoots his 2nd free throw attempt with 7:37 remaining in the 1st half in the Haas Pavilion on Saturday evening on February 7th, 2026. (Photo Credits to Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

BERKELEY – In front of an excited home crowd, the California Golden Bears played No. 20 Clemson on Saturday night at Haas Pavilion for Rock Your Crocs Night. However, after early signs of optimism, the Tigers easily won 77–55.

Cal came into the game having lost the previous two meetings and losing the all-time series versus Clemson 2–1. Tigers have made it three straight losses in a row. The conference matchup was made more interesting by the fact that, like Georgia Tech before them, this was Clemson’s first time visiting Haas Pavilion. The Tigers started with RJ Godfrey, Jestin Porter, Jake Wahlin, Ace Buckner, and Carter Welling, while the Golden Bears, with their starting five of John Camden, Chris Bell, Justin Pippen, Dai Dai Ames, and center Milos Ilic, took the floor.

Cal was prepared to make a statement first. Justin Pippen quickly ignited the fans with a driving layup after the Golden Bears won the tip. Cal made all three of the team’s shots, while Pippen and Chris Bell led the squad in the first few minutes, with Pippen scoring seven points without a miss and Bell adding six. whereas Clemson had a difficult start, missing multiple shots and committing two turnovers in a nearly four-minute stretch. Five minutes into the game, the Golden Bears had a 13–9 lead, and the crowd was loving it.

However, things suddenly changed quickly. The Bears committed four turnovers in just four minutes, which led to Cal’s offensive decline and allowed Clemson to gain the upper hand. As they found their groove, the Tigers played with accuracy, dishing out nine assists. Their bench also added 20 points, which increased the pressure. The game shifted in favor of Clemson after a 17–1 scoring run over almost ten minutes, as Cal missed 13 straight field goals, falling to 24 percent shooting in the first half. The Tigers’ defense forced nine turnovers, made four blocks, and recorded four steals, keeping Cal to 38 percent from three-point range and giving Clemson a dominating 39–20 advantage at halftime.

Pippen opened the second half by making a midrange jumper and turning the foul into a three-point play. Bell slowly started to find his stride and made back-to-back shots to give the Golden Bears some energy after a short scoring slump. However, Clemson kept their dominance. The Tigers led 56–41 with eight minutes left, and RJ Godfrey’s three-pointer off a foul put them ahead 59–41. Any Cal comeback attempts were consistently stopped by Clemson’s effective offense and defense, which included aggressive drives, rebounds, and smart fouls that sent them to the line.

After Cal missed another field goal going for three minutes, the Tigers took the lead by 24 points, and then the team went on a 9–0 run in two minutes late in the second half, leading fans to begin leaving Haas Pavilion with five minutes remaining. In the closing minutes, Cal coach Mark Madsen started to slowly remove his starters. Despite scoring 33 points in the second half, the Golden Bears were unable to overcome Clemson’s dominant performance. Tigers made 12 three pointers in this game, compared to the home team Bears, who only made 4 all game.

Milos Ilic pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and added two assists, while Justin Pippen led Cal with 19 points. This is Justin’s 20th game this season, scoring in double-digits.

In front of an energetic, Croc-loving home crowd, Clemson easily won the game 77–55, handing Cal a 22-point loss. After an early hot start, the Golden Bears found it difficult to recover from the Tigers’ strong offensive attack and defensive pressure. Clemson is in 2nd place, while the Cal Bears are in 10th place in their conference. Syracuse came into the West Coast and won their games, going 2-0 in the Bay.

In an attempt to bounce back from the hard loss at home, the Golden Bears will travel for their next two games, starting at 4 p.m. on February 11 against Syracuse, who are currently on a two-game losing skid, and Boston College at 9 a.m. on February 14.

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva: Cal hangs onto beat Georgia Tech 90-85 Wednesday night

Cal Bears center Milos Ilic takes the ball to the hoop being pursued by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets guard Kam Craft (12) at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Wed Feb 4, 2026 (Cal Bears X photo)

Cal Bears podcast Michael Vilanueva Michael Villanueva:

#1 The Cal Bears (17-6) battled hard to stay ahead of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-12) with a five point win 90-85 at Haas Pavilion on Wednesday night there was a lot of focus towards the end of the game as the Yellow Jackets were closing in the last few minutes of the game.

#2 Cal’s Dai Dai Ames led with 29 points in the win. Ames help keep the Bears in the contest in his contribution for the win.

#3 Which key statistical matchups will determine the outcome of the Georgia Tech vs. Cal game — for example, how might Cal’s experience at home and scoring differential compare with Georgia Tech’s rebounding strength?

#4 How significant is this game for Georgia Tech’s efforts to stop its recent losing streak and improve its position in ACC play?

#5 What strategies might each coach employ based on last season’s Georgia Tech win in overtime meeting and the current season’s performances of top players like Cal’s Dai Dai Ames and Georgia Tech’s Kowacie Reeves or Baye Ndongo?

Michael Villanueva covers the Cal Bears for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Stanford gets beat by Cal in 12 point deficit

The score says it all as the Stanford Cardinal are beaten by the Cal Bears on their home floor on Sat Jan 24, 2026 at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto (Stanford Cardinal X photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum:

Tough loss for the Stanford Cardinal on Saturday night losing to the Cal Bears at Maples Pavilion 78-66 but Cal had the final say. In the first half it was close but Stanford came away with a four point lead 38-34. The Cardinal in the first half played a solid game and they led early they led by ten points.

This was before Cal put together a 25-5 run and that’s how they got that four point lead in at the half. The Cardinal leading scorer was Jeremy Dent Smith he had the effort but Dent Smith really needed help from his teammates to try and win this game. Stanford they have a nice lineup but they all need to be clicking they need to be playing off each other.

If their not able to do that and Cal had sonething defensively to do with that and yest Dent Smith had a nice game but the other guys have to step up and they didn’t. Cal is having a solid season which is partially why you had every reason to look forward to Saturday night’s game. Both these teams have had their issues the last few years but this season their both off to excellent starts and it looked pretty even going in.

Daniel podcasts Stanford basketball each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal game wrap: Cardinal mauled by Golden Bears, 78-66 in Battle of the Bay I, Saturday on the Farm

Stanford Cardinal guard Jeremy Dent Smith drives to the net against Cal Bears guard TJ Carr (3) at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alot Sat Jan 24, 2026 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Robeson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (14-6, 3-4 ACC) squandered a double-digit first half lead and dropped their home portion of the Battle of the Bay 78-66 to the California Golden Bears (15-5, 3-4 ACC) inside of a sold out Maples Pavilion Saturday night.

Cal scored the first points of the game, but soon relinquished the small advantage over the Cardinal,  There were eight lead changes and six ties during the initial 20 minutes of game action.  The last switch would loom big throughout the rest of the game.

With all the back and forth by the longtime Bay Area rivals, Stanford managed to lead by as many as 16 points.  However, the guests from Berkeley would have a say in the scoring margin by halftime.  Both squads had runs, but Stanford’s 10-0 foray had them in the lead for more than 15 and 1/2 minutes, while Cal was in front for less than three minutes.

The Golden Bears used their small of amount of time wisely.  The eighth lead change  came just under a minute before intermission.  Cal completed a dramatic comeback, before the halftime whistle.  By the time it was recess, Cal had turned a 16-point, to a four points lead for themselves.  A 20-point turnaround before halftime, was great momentum for the Golden Bears, 38-34.

At the midway point of the conference clash, Stanford had one player in double figures, Jeremy Dent-Smith (11), while Cal had two of their own to meet the plateau.  Senior forward John Camden had 11 points, in addition sophomore guard and son of basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, Justin chipped in 10 points.

The second half was similar to the first, with Cal converting the first bucket.  Not only did they do that, but they forged a 12-0 run and led by as much as 15 points before 40 minutes elapsed on the game clock.

During the regulated 20 minutes of second half play, there was one more time the score (60) was tied.  Besides that, Cal was in front from the moment they regained the lead before halftime.  From there, they went on to outscore the Cardinal 18-6, tripling their output. At the final buzzer, Stanford had fallen to their cross-Bay rival by 12 points, 78-66.

Jeremy Dent-Smith led the Cardinal with 20 points and Ryan Agarwal added 12 points and 9 rebounds.  The top bucket-getter, Ebuka Okorie did contribute 14 points for the cause; however, it came from an abysmal 1-16 from the floor and 0-9 from 3-point land.  The bright spot was he shot 12-14 from the free throw line, which greatly assisted his final total.

The Golden Bears were led by John Camden’s game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.  The aforementioned Justin Pippen offered 18 points and six assists, in addition to Dai Dai Ames (11) and Chris Bell’s (10) points production.

Stanford will next be in action Wednesday, January 28th in South Florida, as they take on the Miami Hurricanes 6:00 PM PT and 9:00 PM ET on the ACC Network.  Cal will also fly to the Sunshine State, on the same date, to battle the Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee at 4:00 PM PT and 7:00 PM ET, also on the ACC Network.  Part II of the Battle of the Bay will be Saturday, February 21, at Haas Pavilion 3:00 PM PT on the ACC Network.

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

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?

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:

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

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

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

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.