California Golden Bear #7 Dai Dai Ames shoots a free throw after being fouled with 15:18 remaining in the Haas Pavilion at Berkeley, CA on February 4th, 2026. (Photo by Michael Villanueva)
By Michael Villanueva
BERKELEY – At Haas Pavilion on Wednesday night, the California Golden Bears defeated Georgia Tech 90-85. Cal improved its impressive home record to 14-2 after returning home from a conference game against Stanford and a split during last week’s two-game road trip in Florida.
With a 3-1 lead in the all-time series, Cal took on Georgia Tech for the fifth time in program history. The Yellow Jackets, however, had won the most previous game in Atlanta on February 15, 2025, 90-88 in overtime. Georgia Tech played its first game ever at Haas Pavilion on Wednesday.
Dai Dai Ames, Justin Pippen, John Camden, Chris Bell, and Milos Ilic were the Golden Bears’ starting lineup. Pippen had averaged 15 points, 4.4 assists, and two steals in the ten games leading up to this point, whereas Ames came into the game averaging 16.6 points per game for Cal.
Lamar Washington, Jaeden Mustaf, Kam Craft, Baye Ndongo, and Kowacie Reeves Jr. were the starting lineup for Georgia Tech. Reeves Jr. came into the game averaging 15.8 points per game for the Yellow Jackets, and Ndongo had averaged 12.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in the ten games prior.
Besides the excitement on the court, the evening included Cal’s Coaches vs. Cancer campaign and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, which honored university community members throughout the evening.
Ames made the opening basket of the evening with a midrange jumper, giving Cal a confident start to the game. The Golden Bears relied largely on Ames, who scored 10 points in the first seven minutes on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting attempt and converted each of their first three field goal attempts.
Cal took an early 17–13 lead because of Ames’ strong start, but things quickly changed after he was benched. The Golden Bears had a scoring slump, missing six straight shots in the two minutes Ames was out of the game, while Georgia Tech answered with a 4-0 run.
Midway through the first half, Cal took control again. The Golden Bears extended their lead to 26–16 with eight minutes left after making three straight 3-pointers as part of a 9–0 run that kept Georgia Tech scoreless for almost three and a half minutes.
After that, Cal started to struggle with turnovers as the Bears made three consecutive mistakes in a span of two and a half minutes. Georgia Tech took advantage of this and closed the lead with a 7-0 run. In only 41 seconds, Cal replied with a 6-0 run that included five of its final seven field goals and two more straight 3-pointers.
The Golden Bears finished the half in a rhythm, making all three of their last attempts and making two more straight 3-pointers. After playing its last three games away from home, Cal was leading 43–29 at the half because of the support of the home crowd. The Bears shot more than 50% from the field, beyond the arc, and at the free-throw line at the end of the first half, including eight 3-pointers. No place like home.
Georgia Tech had a strong start to the second half, cutting the lead to 47–44 with an 11–0 run in the first three minutes. Georgia Tech scored 15 points while Cal only managed four in the early going. The Yellow Jackets kept getting better, scoring three 3-pointers in the first five minutes—more than they had in the first half—and going on a four-minute, 20-2 run to take their first lead of the game, 51-49. The Bears were having trouble establishing a rhythm, and Cal’s 15-point halftime lead was gone. Cal only scored eight points in the paint, while Georgia Tech scored 34.
Cal’s offense came alive in the last seven minutes. Ames took back the lead at 67–65 with five baskets in 37 seconds. Chris Bell increased the lead to 70–65 with his second 3-pointer of the evening. Pippen extended the lead to 72–65 with a smooth pick-and-roll with Ilic on the next possession. In the crucial last seconds, Georgia Tech struggled to make baskets, only making two of nine shots.
Bell made another 3-pointer with two minutes left, but Fleming of Georgia Tech answered with a triple of his own to make it 80-77 with 1:00 remaining. With 43.9 seconds left, Ames drove to the basket, drew a foul, and made a 1-of-2 free throw to put Cal ahead 81-77. After that, the Golden Bears used timely scoring and precise free-throw shooting to win, 90-85.
Cal’s team highs: Justin Pippen had six assists, Milos Ilic had nine rebounds, and Dai Dai Ames had 29 points. Ames shot 69 percent from the field and missed just four shots.
John has now scored in double figures in five of the last six games and made at least one three-pointer in 22 of 23 games. Cal’s starting five all scored in double figures for the first time this season, while Dai Dai Ames recorded his tenth game of 20 points or more. On Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 5 p.m., the Golden Bears will host No. 20/19 Clemson at Berkeley, California’s Haas Pavilion for their final home game before a 2 game road trip to Syracuse and Boston College.
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