Cal men’s basketball finished nonconference play with an astounding 12-1 record, including a neutral site win over then-No. 18 UCLA. With ACC play starting for the Bears, The Daily Californian’s men’s basketball beat writers give their thoughts on Cal’s season thus far and their predictions for the rest of the season.
How confident are you as Cal starts ACC play?
Kyle Ngo: The 12-1 record obviously jumps off the page, considering it’s the Bears’ best start to a season since 1960. However, this was one of the easiest nonconference schedules in recent memory, consisting of just two games away from home and three games against power conference teams. Cal’s lone loss at Kansas State raises questions about how it might fare when faced with competent ACC teams, particularly on the road. The Bears showed they are capable of winning in a variety of ways, but I’m still apprehensive about their ability to consistently rise to the occasion against stronger competition.
Aditya Hariharan: The Bears have been especially impressive in the second half, where they average 46 points and outscore their opponents by an average of 10.6 points. Even in their lone loss to Kansas State, the team followed an abysmal first half with a strong showing in the final 20 minutes. Sure, the level of competition has been subpar compared to the ACC and Cal has barely experienced playing outside of Haas Pavilion. But if the Bears keep shooting the deep ball at 38.8% and making the right halftime adjustments, I don’t see why they can’t hang with the likes of Miami and Duke.
Yotam Elazar: It feels like this Cal team is a lot deeper than any we’ve seen with Mark Madsen as head coach. Between Dai Dai Ames, Chris Bell and John Camden, there’s no knowing who will be hot on a given night. The first stretch of ACC play is certainly daunting, with the Bears facing ranked teams in Louisville, Virginia, North Carolina and Duke in four of their first six conference games. However, playing Louisville, UNC and Duke at home will certainly give them some confidence going into that stretch. While the nonconference schedule was admittedly on the weaker end, with Cal’s strength of schedule currently sitting at 317th in the country, a 12-1 record with a ranked win is about as good as anyone could have hoped for heading into ACC play. Overall, I’m cautiously optimistic and think this Cal team can make some noise.
Stefania Bitton: While I have been impressed by the tenacity of this season’s team rallying after a loss to win nine straight at home, I still have my doubts. With Madsen at the helm, Cal has come a long way since its 3-29 2022-23 season, but that’s not to say the Bears have totally squashed their habit of losing the games that matter most. Agreeing with Kyle on the rigor of its schedule, I would like to see how Cal plays in its own conference before totally backing this team. The Bears have only had to play away once, and they lost. The Virginia game will tell us and the fans everything we need to know about the maturity and stability of this squad.
Which player has stood out to you the most from nonconference play?
KN: Dai Dai Ames has blown me away with his play this season. He’s been an excellent scorer on all three levels, averaging nearly 18 points per game and using his quickness and handles to create his own looks whenever necessary. Even while putting up 13 shots per game, the transfer from Virginia has been efficient, shooting over 50% from the field and 46% from three. Cal didn’t have a defined alpha scorer heading into the season, but Ames has assumed that role with ease and showcased his ability in the clutch against UCLA.
AH: Personally, I’ve been enamored by Chris Bell. The Concord local is an excellent shooter who has proven himself to be a very important floor spacer for this Bears team. Despite some streakiness throughout the season, the 6’7” forward is averaging 14.4 points per game while shooting 47.5% from the field and 40% from deep. Bell has had some quality performances this season, scoring 28 points against Morgan State and 27 points on 7-for-9 3-point shooting against Kansas State. In a conference filled with talented big men, a stretch big such as Bell is invaluable to Cal’s winning aspirations.
YE: I’ve loved watching Chris Bell thus far. He brings a level of confidence and swagger that I think Cal has lacked in recent years. His performance against UCLA was one of my early highlights of the season — he finished with 22 points, going 5-for-7 from downtown. His ability to make plays that shift the momentum of games will be huge in ACC play, whether with his athleticism or ability to knock down big shots. He has shot the ball efficiently on 47.5/40/90.7 shooting splits, and if that continues, Bell could seriously be one of the most impactful players in the ACC this year.
SB: This year has been the year of true freshmen for the Bears, and Semetri “TT” Carr has helped solidify that. Committed to playing hard out of the gate, Carr has launched into the college basketball world in full swing, stepping in wherever Cal needs him to be. Against Morgan State, Carr tallied 17 points, nine assists, one turnover and three steals. As the season goes on, Carr just keeps developing and getting better and I am excited to see how that holds up in conference play.
Which ACC matchup are you most excited to see this year?
KN: The Big Game will always be at the top of my list. The Bears went 0-3 against Stanford last season, including their final loss of the season in the ACC tournament. Madsen will be looking for revenge against his alma mater in their two meetings this year. Especially with the Cardinal coming to Haas Pavilion in late February, it is sure to be an electric matchup with major postseason implications.
AH: The classic Saturday matchup against North Carolina. The No. 12 Tar Heels are one of the best teams in college basketball, and most of that is due to the prowess of freshman Caleb Wilson. The 6’10” forward is averaging 19.6 points per game and leads the ACC with 10.8 rebounds per game. But more importantly, he anchors one of the best defenses in the NCAA, which holds opponents to just 63.5 points per game. Additionally, as a huge Oklahoma City Thunder fan, Wilson is my draft crush, and I hope to see him in a different blue and white uniform next year.
YE: When I look at Cal’s ACC schedule, the matchup against Duke naturally jumps off the page right away. In what will be the two programs’ first-ever meeting at Haas Pavilion, the Bears will no doubt be fired up. The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 6 and led by Cameron Boozer, one of the top prospects in the 2026 NBA draft. The freshman forward has been stuffing stat sheets, leading the country in scoring at 23.3 points per game while also averaging 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. The game presents a huge opportunity for Cal to earn what would not only be one of the season’s best possible resume-defining wins, but also one of the biggest wins in modern program history.
SB: This may be controversial considering all of the storied programs the Bears have coming their way, but Cal’s first away ACC game against No. 21 Virginia is definitely one to note. The Bears have practically spent their entire season so far in the Bay Area except for the lone blip against Kansas State. Cal programs have a real knack for starting hot and burning out just as the seasons change, and I am eager to see what the Bears are actually made of. This Virginia game will show us if Cal can keep the fire going or if the spark will die.
Predict the Bears’ final regular season record. Will they be a part of March Madness?
KN: 22-9. Especially if Cal manages to earn a high-quality win against one of the other ACC teams likely to be in the field of 68, this record would likely be enough for Cal to get into the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. Berkeley has been the home of chaos in the college football world — if the Bears got into March Madness, the ensuing frenzy from the “Calgorithm” and beyond would be a sight to behold.
AH: 23-8. I think this Cal team will struggle on the road, especially since nine of the current top 10 teams in the ACC standings are undefeated at home. However, a good portion of the Bears’ road games will be against less formidable opponents, which bodes well for their tournament resume. I have the blue and gold pulling off some quality wins against Louisville, SMU and Clemson, which would likely be enough for tournament play this March.
YE: 21-10. As I said, I’m cautiously optimistic about this team, but the ACC is also one of the deepest conferences in the country. On the flip side, that also means plenty of opportunities to earn Quad 1 and 2 wins. Given how tough the first half of Cal’s conference schedule is, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bears have trouble early on. I do have them winning 9 of their final 10 games to close out the season, though, and if we know anything about college basketball, doing well in March usually depends on getting hot at the right time. That said, I think this Madsen squad can make the NCAA Tournament somewhere between a 7 and 10 seed, and maybe even win a few games in the tournament.
SB: 22-9. Heading into conference play, there will be a learning curve for the Bears as they start to play higher profile teams with more intensity. With a few scrapes and bumps, I think Cal can fight past a good portion of the ACC to make it into the edges of the NCAA Tournament. With the way the college football season went for the Bears this year, Cal really needs a win, and returning to March Madness for the first time since 2016 would be just that.