Tag: NCAA MBB

Stanford Cardinal game wrap: Cardinal overtaken by Runnin Rebels 75-74, Sunday Afternoon on the Farm

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The Stanford Cardinal forward Oskar Giltay (15) drives to the basket against the UNLV Running Rebels at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Sun Dec 7, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (7-2) were unable to halt the visitors’ rebellion, in a 75-74 loss to the University of Nevada – Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels (4-5) inside the friendly confines of Maples Pavilion.

Senior guard Benny Gealer got the Day Party started with a 3-pointer to open the scoring advantage, in a tightly contested first 20 minutes of play.  The Cardinal never trailed, although there were several (5) ties along the way.  Both teams had significant runs: 5-0 for UNLV and 9-0 for Stanford.

The Cardinal parlayed that 9-0 run to their largest lead of the first half 9; 33-24).  UNLV was not finished with their push, as they performed an additional 7-0 run, putting them within one, (37-36) with less than a minute before recess.  Gealer converted two free throws to extend the lead to three.  However, the Runnin’ Rebels had an answer to that, when sophomore center Emmanuel Stephen ended the half with a dunk, to cut the deficit to a lone point again, 39-38.

Redshirt-junior guard Ryan Argawal led the cardinal with 10 points, while as a team, they shot 41% from the floor and 33% from beyond the arc.  The Runnin’ Rebels shot an impressive 53% from two, and 40% from Threeland.

At the midway point of the game, the Cardinal had a slim 1-point lead clutched by their branches, 39-38.

The second half had a huge momentum shift, as Stephen had consecutive baskets to end the first, and begin the second stanza.  That bucket gave the Runnin’ Rebels their first lead of the game, and a great deal of confidence.

That was the first of nine lead changes for the Golden and Silver States’ battle.  The game was also tied 13 times, to give the crowd of nearly 4,000 a nail-biting finish.

During the second 20 minutes of play, UNLV had a high of  a three point lead, while Stanford was able to go up by as much as four, but they exchanged their advantages like a hot potato.  The three point shooting for both teams was 30%; however, the equivalent fractions were at a different clip.  UNLV was 3/10, while Stanford was 9/30.  Same percentage, but an 18 point difference..  the Runnin’ Rebels made up for that disadvantage from deep, with 20 points (48:28) margin in the paint.

The free throw % was close, as both squads attempted 27 FTs, with Stanford’s 17 being one more than their Sin City opponent.  Unfortunately for the Cardinal one free throw advantage was not enough when the final buzzer sounded.

With several crucial misses from the charity stripe on both sides, the game was in balance throughout the closing minutes.  Clutch layups, jumpers, rebounds, and steals, made the ending so dramatic.

Less than 18 seconds left in regulation, Stanford tied the game at 74, on a Ebuka Okorie FT.  With absolute irony in the Palo Alto air, UNLV was on the free throw line with 3.8 seconds left on the clock.  Senior forward Kimani Hamilton stepped to the line, with all kinds of pressure on his shoulders.  The crowd wanted him to miss for a dual reason.  If he missed both, Stanford would not only have a chance to win in regulation or go to overtime, but they’d also get a food prize.

Whenever an opposing player misses consecutive free throws, the fans win a free hamburger from a popular nearby restaurant.  Hudson really got the audience fired up when he missed the first FTA.  To the dismay of the Cardinal faithful, he converted the second shot, which eventually became the GWFT.

With the Runnin’ Rebels up by one (75-74) with seconds left in the contest, Okorie’s desperation shot came up short, and the team from the entertainment desert got the upset win in the Bay Area.  After 40 minutes of basketball action, UNLV won by the score of 75-74.

Stanford had three players reach double-digits scoring.  Freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie led with 18 points, while Ryan Argawal chipped in 13 points, and Benny Gealer added 11 points.  UNLV presented four double-figure hoopers. 

Emmanuel Stephen topped the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn contributed 15 points and 5 rebounds, Kimani Hamilton offered 15 points and 4 rebounds, while Tyrin Jones put up 11 points for the team’s total.

The Cardinal is next in action Saturday, December 13 in the Capital City of the Silicon Valley, as they take on the San Jose State Spartans at 4 PM CT on CBSSN.  UNLV returns to Las Vegas on the same date, to host Tennessee State Tigers at 6:30 PM PT at the Jack Jones Classic.

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman: Cal hosts Pacific Saturday; Cal on four game win streak

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Cal Bears forward Lee Dort (34) is excited at the conclusion of the win over the Utah Utes on Tue Dec 2, 2025 at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley (Cal Bears X photo)

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 With Cal Bears guards like Dai Dai Ames and Justin Pippen in Cal’s backcourt, how might their perimeter defense and shooting had put pressure on the Utah Utes defense?

#2 Can forwards such as Chris Bell or Lee Dort use their size advantage to dominate the paint, to limit Utah’s interior scoring, and control the boards if they face a smaller pilot front line?

#3 Given that Cal’s roster also includes centers like Milos Ilic and Mantas Kocanas, how might their presence affect Utah’s ability to drive to the rim or get second-chance points?

#4 Considering Utah’s fast-paced style, how would Cal — with a mix of experienced players like DeJuan Campbell and newcomers — aim to control tempo and avoid getting caught in a run-and-gun exchange?

#5 If Cal’s rotation extends to freshmen guards such as Luke Butler or Jorell Clark, how much trust should the team put in young players’ composure under pressure when defending a team like the Utes?

Cal Bears podcast with Stephen Ruderman is heard each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Stanford continues to roll at 7-1; Host UNLV Sunday at the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal bench rises after a basket is scored against the Portland Pilots at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Mon Dec 1, 2025 (photo by Stanford Cardinal Athletics Dept)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 How did Stanford Cardinal Jeremy Dent-Smith’s 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range impact Stanford’s offensive rhythm and early lead beating the Portland Pilots 94-72?

#2 What role did Benny Gealer and Oskar Giltay play in providing scoring depth off the bench to help Stanford reach six players in double-figures?

#3 How effective was Chisom Okpara inside the paint and on the boards, and how did that contribute to Stanford’s dominance against Portland’s interior defense?

#4 In what ways did Ebuka Okorie influence the tempo or transition game for Stanford, including scoring, playmaking, or defense?

#5 Given that Stanford made 14 of 33 from three-point range, how critical was the long-range shooting from players like Dent-Smith, Gealer, Giltay, to establishing and sustaining their lead over the Pilots?

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

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva: Scotty would be proud Justin Pippin leads Cal in scoring with 23

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Cal Bears guard Justin Pippin (10) goes for two points against the Utah Utes at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Tue Dec 2, 2025 (Cal Bears X photo)

Cal Bears podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 For the Cal Bears (7-1) Justin Pippin he led with 23 points in a nip and tuck game between the Utah Utes (6-3) and Bears at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley.

#2 Cal held a five point lead with just 20 seconds left towards the end of the game getting some defense one a Utah ball that was deflected that avoided cutting Cal’s lead.

#3 Cal guard Dai Dai Ames finished second in scoring with 25 points his contribution was critical in keeping the Utes an arms distance as Utah tried to close the gap numerous times during the contest.

#4 The Bears avoided foul trouble in this one and didn’t have to suffer the consequences of the Utes getting to foul line to cut the lead even closer. The Bears win it by seven points 79-72.

#5 Next up the Pacific Tigers of Stockton head to Haas Pavilion in Berkeley this Sat Dec 13th to tip off against Cal. The Tigers bring a 6-2 winning record to Cal and are on a three game win streak. How do you see this match up?

Michael Villanueva is a Cal Bears beat reporter at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose State Falters Late to UC Irvine 72-63

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San Jose State University Spartans guard Ben Roseborough (11) drives the lane for a layup against the UC Irvine Anteaters at Provident Credit Union Event Center in San Jose on Sun Nov 30, 2025 (SJSU Spartans photo)

By Ryan Hannagan

SAN JOSE, Calif. — UC Irvine held off San Jose State 72-63 on Saturday afternoon at Provident Credit Union Event Center, pulling away midway through the second half after a tight, back and forth matchup for most of the game.

The meeting marked the first of a four-game homestand for the Spartans (3-5), who entered the day coming off a win over Loyola Chicago. The Anteaters (5-4) arrived with slight favorability at a 53% win probability, per ESPN — and validated it behind strong transition play and a dominant performance from guard Derin Saran.

San Jose State remained without key contributor Javaughn Hannah, but early on, the game lived up to expectations of being closely contested. Sadraque Nganga opened the scoring with a free throw, but the Spartans didn’t make their first field goal until nearly three minutes in, when Jermaine Washington slammed home a fast break dunk. The Spartans struggles from the field continued the entirety of the game.

Despite shooting just 28% from the field in the first half, the Spartans kept the deficit manageable. UC Irvine built leads of six and later nine, but San Jose State repeatedly clawed back, including a tip in at the buzzer to trim the halftime score to 36-34. Nganga led SJSU with 10 points at the break, while Saran paced UCI with 12.

Washington tied the game at 36 to open the second half, but once again the Anteaters responded with a run. A three from Adrian Myers in his return off the bench briefly halted the momentum, yet UC Irvine continued to generate separation.

The Spartans’ offensive struggles worsened as the half progressed. UC Irvine’s lead swelled to 11 with just over 10 minutes remaining, capitalizing on SJSU turnovers, defensive lapses and transition miscues. San Jose State made one final push, trimming the deficit to five after a sequence of scores from Yaphet Moundi and Ben Roseborough, but Saran responded with a three pointer and a layup on consecutive possessions to restore a double digit lead.

A late three from UCI’s Justin Dixon extended the margin to 69-58 with 4:24 left, effectively sealing the game. The Anteaters held control from there.

“The physicality,” Roseborough told Sports Radio Service when asked about the cause of second half collapse. “They hit first, you got to hit first. Loose balls, everything like that, you got to get to it. They played way harder than us tonight.”

Head coach Tim Miles echoed that assessment.

“Credit Irvine — they ran the floor well. They did all the things that winning teams do. … Ultimately, I didn’t think we were great in transition defense and I didn’t think we converted well on the offensive side, especially in the interior.”

San Jose State shot just 31% from the field (22 of 70) compared with UC Irvine’s 49% (30 of 61). Despite winning the rebounding battle 43-41 — including 19 offensive boards — the Spartans were outscored 50-26 in the paint and 24-6 on fast breaks.

Roseborough led SJSU with 12 points. Saran finished with a game-high 24 for the Anteaters.

The loss marks San Jose State’s first home setback of the season. The Spartans continue their homestand later this week as they look to regroup and find their footing before conference play.

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman: Cal runs away with another win defeats Sac State at Haas

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Cal Bears forward Chris Bell (22) throws down against the Sacramento State Hornets at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Fri Nov 21, 2025 (Cal Bears MBB X photo)

Cal Bears podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 The Cal Bears (5-1) ran away with this one Friday night at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley defeating the Sacramento State Hornets (3-4) 91-67. The Bears in the first half had a 47-33 lead coming away the half.

#2 The Bears got lots of offense Friday night with four players finishing in double figures, Chris Bell 21, Justin Pippin 16, and Dai Dai Ames 16 points and John Camden 14.

#3 The Bears controlled the boards, the paint, the passing game and held the Hornets in check stopping any kind of come back.

#4 The Hornets were just froze out in the second half at one point the Bears had a 20 point lead on them in the second half. The Bears scoring leader from Tuesday night John Camden was the last Bear to get into double figures.

#5 It’s off to Chase Center in San Francisco and the UCLA Bruins on Tue Nov 25th. The two former Pac 12 teams will tip off at 7:00pm. The Bruins have won five of their last six games and have won three of their last five games.

Stephen Ruderman is a Cal Bears basketball beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Camden scores 20 in surprisingly-close 67-57 Cal win over Presbyterian

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Cal Bears forward John Camden (2) can make baskets with his eyes closed against the Presbyterian Blue Hose at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Tue Nov 18, 2025 (Cal Bears X photo)

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2025

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Presbyterian Blue Hose 57 (3-4)

California Golden Bears 67 (4-1)

By Stephen Ruderman

John Camden led the way with a 20-point night, as the Bears returned home for a surprisingly-close 67-57 win over the Presbyterian Blue Hose.

The Bears nearly pulled off an impossible comeback their last time out in Manhattan, Kansas last Thursday. However, they took one on the chin, 99-96 to the Kansas State Wild Cats, for their first loss of the season.

As the Bears got underway tonight back home in Berkeley, they took on the lesser-known Presbyterian Blue Hose from Clinton, South Carolina. That did not mean that this would be an easy time for the Bears.

Cal had a hard time pulling away in the first half. Chris Dort made a layup to make it 27-20 with 4:49 to go until halftime, and the Bears finally appeared to have established a lead. However, the Blue Hose clawed back with a 9-2 to run to tie the game at 29-29 with 48 seconds to go. Fortunately, Milos Ilic made a layup, and Cal went into the half with a 31-29 lead.

Things remained close at the beginning of the second half, and Presbyterian even took a pair of leads. In fact, Carl Parrish hit a three to give the Blue Hose a 44-43 with 12:17 left to go.

The Bears were staring down the barrel at a potential loss to the type of lesser-known team they are supposed to clobber. Perhaps that sent a burst of energy into the Bears, as Dai Dai Ames and John Camden hit threes to put Cal back ahead, 49-44.

From there, the Bears mostly had control of the game, though a jumper by Jonah Pierce allowed the Blue Hose to cut Cal’s lead to 53-51 with 6:13 left. The Bears then regained a rather-comfortable lead, and they were ultimately able to win it by 10 at 67-57.

In addition to Camden’s 20-point night, Lee Dort scored 15, and Chris Bell followed with 14.

The Bears are now 4-1 on the season.

Cal will take on the Sacramento State Hornets here at Hoss on Friday night. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m.

San Jose State Basketball dominates Bethesda in their home opener 110-56

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San Jose Spartans Japhet Moupadele (21) gets the throw down against the Bethesda University Flames at Provident Credit Union Arena in San Jose on Mon Nov 17, 2025 (SJSU Spartans photo)

By Ryan Hannagan and Lincoln Juarez

San Jose, Calif–The Spartans (1-3) buried the Flames (0-4) under a relentless first half surge, turning an early 9-8 deficit into a 15-0 run that broke the game open and came away with a 110-56 victory at Provident Credit Union Arena. San Jose State led 54-24 at the break and never let up in a wire to wire blowout.

SJSU guard Colby Garland scored a team high 17 points, and Roseborough added 12, all in the first half to pace the Spartans’ balanced offense. Camron Durr led Bethesda with 11 points.

San Jose State dominated nearly every statistical category. The Spartans shot 65% from the field (43 of 66) and 52% from 3 point range (12 of 23), while holding Bethesda to 30% shooting overall. SJSU outrebounded the Flames 55-18 and outscored them 60-18 in the paint.

The only brief scare for SJSU came early in the second half, when Garland went down awkwardly after a collision under the basket. He returned quickly and said afterward the issue wasn’t serious.

“Oh I’m actually feeling pretty good,” Garland told Sports Radio Service. “…I injured this ankle early in preseason, so it’s been lingering. It tightened up a bit, but I went to the back, got a few massages and went right back out there. I feel good.”

San Jose State opened the game hitting shots at a high clip but struggled with turnovers early. Once the Spartans cleaned up their possessions, the offense exploded behind strong ball movement and physical interior play. Bethesda briefly slowed the run with a 3 pointer midway through the half, but the Spartans controlled the rest of the night.

SJSU’s starters combined for 64 points, including strong showings from Jermaine Washington and Yaphet Moundi, who opened the second half with a 3 pointer to extend the margin.

With the win, SJSU is now 1-3, while Bethesda falls to 0-4.

San Jose State returns to action later this week looking to build on its first victory of the season.

Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips: Bears take on Virginia tonight at John Paul Jones Arena to start road trip

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The Cal Bears will meet the Virginia Cavaliers Thu Feb 20, 2025 at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottsville VA with a 4:00pm PT tip off (photo by Cal Bears Athletic Dept)

Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips:

#1 The Cal Bears are coming off a two game homestand sweep over the Boston College Eagles and the Syracuse Orange. Cal (21-6) will got back east for their final regular season road trip starting at Virginia on Thursday at 4pm PT.

#2 In the history of both Cal and Virginia this will be their sixth meeting and the Cavaliers are 3-2 in that history. The Cavaliers also have two wins over Cal in the NCAA Tournament. The last time these two clubs met was 2018 in the NCAA Tournament with a 68-62.

#3 If Cal can pull off a win tonight it would give them their most wins since the 2016-17 season when they won 24 games.

#4 The Bears will be keyed in on the Cavaliers Kymora Johnson who leads the team with 17.5 points per game and was named the All ACC second team and All Freshman from last season.

#5 In the last game Cal played on Sun Feb 16th at Syracuse as Cal led with guard Kayla Williams 21 points, forward Marta Suarez finished in second with 16 points. Talk about their game against the Orange and how important Williams and Suarez is to Cal.

Cal Bears podcasts are heard Thursdays with Cal Bears beat writer Morris Phillips at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cardinal Pushed Back the Wolfpack, 74-73, on a Late Afternoon on the Farm; Agarwal the Hero

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Stanford Cardinal forward Donavin Young (2) is seen here in a game against North Carolina State Wolfpack on Sat Feb 8, 2025 at Maple Pavilion in Palo Alto (Stanford Cardinal X)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — Ryan Agarwal’s game-winning layup helped the Stanford Cardinal (16-8, 8-5 ACC) regain the Maples Pavilion advantage, after defeating the North Carolina Wolfpack (9-14, 2-10 ACC) 74-73 in the Sunny Bay Area.

Stanford junior guard Oziyah Sellers put his squad on the scoreboard first from the “charity stripe.” He calmly converted two free throws, putting the Cardinal up 2-0. There would be three ties and three lead changes within the first 20-minute stanza.

Within that time frame, Stanford led by as much as three points, and went on a 4-0 run. The Wolfpack, on the other hand/paw, took a seven point advantage, and had a 6-0 run of their own.

Sellers led the Cardinal at recess, with 10 points. He was also the ony one on his team with double-digit scoring. Freshman sensation Trey Parker had the same distinction for his pack; however, his 12 points came on a sizzling 4-4 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Wolfpack managed to keep a four point distance between themselves and the Cardinal. Leading 33-29 midway through the conference contest,

Free throws once again were the path for digital movement on the scoreboards in the beginning of the second half. This time it was performed by the visitors. Senior Dontrez Styles put his team up by six, their largest lead of the second half.

The back and forth the first half produced between the two ACC foes more than double itself in the second half. There were five more lead changes and four additional ties.

NC State had their largest 2nd half lead with the aforementioned free throws. The Cardinal, on the other hand, had 6-0 and 9-0 runs, while leading by as many as nine points.

Stanford did everything they could to protect home-court advantage, but the Wolfpack were ungrateful guests and attempted to put Stanford in a home losing streak. However, the Cardinal were able to avoid the Wolfpack’s bite, by the bark of their tree. Stanford won by one, 74-73.

Agarwal’s layup with :08 left in regulation, despite the hot handed Trey Parker attempting a potential game-winning…his first name. The shot did not go in, and it may have not been released in time either. It was a scary momen, because Parker was 5-8 from Three Land, including that final miss.

Maxime Raynaud produced his 20th double-double (25 points and 12 rebounds) of the season, tying a Stanford record held by Adam Keefe. Oziyah Sellers finished with 12 points, whileEvan Stinson and Chisom Okpara both chipped in 10 points apiece. Although he finished below double-figures plateau, Agarwal made the most importatnt basket at the end. He tallied 9 points and 8 assists.

The Wolfpack were led by Parker’s 19 points. Dontrez Styles added 18 points and 7 rebounds to the cause, while Marcus Hill Jr. chipped in 14 points. . Stanford won a conference thriller, 74-73!

Stanford will next be in action Wednesday, February 12 in Atlanta, as they will take on the Georgia Tech YellowJackets at 7 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT on the ACC Network. NC State heads back to Raleigh on the same date, to host the Louisville Cardinals at & PM ET on ESPN2/U.