Andrew Pace
The California Golden Bears men's basketball team is the college basketball team of the University of California, Berkeley. The team has experienced success over the years, including a national championship in 1959, and has reached the final four two other times, in 1946 and 1960. However, the team's performance has varied over time, with some periods of relative success and others of decline. In the 2023 NCAA NET rankings, the team placed 288th out of 363 Division I programs, making it the lowest-ranked Pac-12 team.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Division | I |
| Number of Division I teams in California | 26 |
| Rank among Division I teams in California | 24 |
| Rank among Division I programs in the country | 288 out of 363 |
| Number of victories in the 2022-23 season | 3 |
| Opponents defeated | Texas-Arlington (No. 297), Colorado (No. 64), and Stanford (No. 125) |
| Overall record | 3-17 |
| Pac-12 record | 2-7 |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | 19 |
| National Championships | 1 (1959) |
| NIT appearances | 9 |
| NIT Championships | 1 (1999) |
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What You'll Learn
California Golden Bears men's basketball team history
The California Golden Bears men's basketball team is the college basketball team of the University of California, Berkeley. The team first played basketball intercollegiately in 1907 and began full conference play in 1915. The Golden Bears have experienced success over the years, winning a national championship in 1959 under coach Pete Newell.
In more recent times, the team has struggled, with the 2018-19 season being a low point. The Bears finished with a 3-29 record, the worst winning percentage in their history. The following season, under head coach Mark Fox, the team managed only two more wins, finishing with a record of 5-27.
The 2022-23 season did not start much better for the Golden Bears. At the time of writing, they hold a 3-17 overall record and are tied for last place in the Pac-12 with a 2-7 conference record. Despite this, they have managed some impressive victories, including wins over Colorado (ranked 64th) and Stanford (ranked 125th).
In 2006, the Golden Bears reached their first Pacific Life Pac-10 Men's Basketball Tournament championship game. Power forward Leon Powe was a standout, setting tournament records for rebounds and points, and was named the Most Valuable Player, despite the team's loss to UCLA in the final.
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Current ranking of the Cal Bears
The California Golden Bears men's basketball team is the college basketball team of the University of California, Berkeley. The team has a rich history, including a national championship win in 1959 and two other appearances in the final four in 1946 and 1960. The Golden Bears first played basketball intercollegiately in 1907 and began full conference play in 1915. The 1920s was the dominant decade for the team, as they won 6 conference titles.
However, the team's fortunes changed after their national title win in 1960, with the retirement of coach Newell. From 1960 to 1985, the Bears had only two winning seasons in conference play, despite having talented players such as Butch Hays and Kevin Johnson. The team saw a brief resurgence in the late 1980s and 1990s, qualifying for the NCAA tournament five times during that period.
In recent years, the Bears have struggled, with head coach Mark Fox overseeing a 38-87 record and the worst winning percentage in Cal history during his last season. The team's performance improved under the leadership of head coach Mark Madsen in 2023, who guided them to a 13-19 record.
Currently, the Bears are ranked No. 288 in the NCAA's latest NET computer rankings out of the country's 363 Division I programs. While this is the lowest ranking among any Pac-12 team, the Bears have managed three victories this season over Texas-Arlington (No. 297), Colorado (No. 64), and Stanford (No. 125).
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Cal Bears' NCAA Tournament appearances
The California Golden Bears men's basketball team has had its fair share of successes and setbacks over the years, with a total of 19 appearances in the NCAA Tournaments. The Golden Bears' first NCAA Tournament appearance was back in 1946, when they defeated Colorado 50-44 in the inaugural game. They then went on to lose to Oklahoma A&M and Ohio State in the subsequent tournament games. The team experienced a drought after this, not qualifying for the tournament again until 1990.
Under the leadership of Coach Lou Campanelli, the Golden Bears ended their 30-year dry spell in 1990 with a thrilling 65-63 victory over Indiana. The team's success continued into the 1990s, with five NCAA Tournament qualifications. Notable players during this era included future NBA stars Jason Kidd, Lamond Murray, and Tony Gonzalez. In 1993, the Golden Bears pulled off a stunning win against LSU thanks to Jason Kidd's buzzer-beating "pretzel shot". They then went on to defeat the two-time defending national champion Duke in the second round before being eliminated by Kansas in the regional semifinals.
The Golden Bears experienced a brief period of turmoil in the mid-1990s, with Coach Campanelli being dismissed midway through the 1992-93 season due to his use of obscenity-laden tirades against his players. Despite this setback, the team pulled off an upset victory over two-time defending champion Duke in the NCAA Tournament under the leadership of interim coach Todd Bozeman. Ben Braun took over as head coach just before the 1996-97 season and led the team to six overall NCAA Tournament appearances during his 12-year tenure, including three straight qualifications in the 2000s.
In recent years, the Golden Bears have struggled to replicate their past successes. In 2016, they suffered a 77-66 loss to 13th-seeded Hawaii in their most recent NCAA Tournament appearance. As of 2022, the team has been a spectator for six consecutive seasons. Despite their recent absence from the NCAA Tournament, the Golden Bears have a rich history in college basketball, including a national championship victory in 1959.
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Cal Bears' head coaches
The California Golden Bears college football team represents the University of California, Berkeley, in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Golden Bears compete as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The program has had 34 head coaches since it began play in 1886.
Since 2017, the head football coach of the California Golden Bears has been Justin Wilcox. He is the 34th head coach of the team. In his first year, the Bears went 5-7, with wins over North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Washington State. In his second year, the Bears went 7-6, upsetting Washington and defeating USC. Wilcox has emphasized a strong defense, cutting Cal's points allowed per game from 42.6 in 2016 to 20.4 in 2018. However, the Bears' offensive efficiency ranked as the second-worst among all Power Five teams. Despite this, Wilcox signed a new five-year contract to coach the Bears through the 2023 season.
Under Wilcox's leadership, the Bears finished the 2021 season with a 5-7 record, including notable wins over rivals USC and Stanford. This was followed by a 4-8 record in 2022, the program's third consecutive losing season. Despite this, the Bears managed to defeat Stanford in the Big Game, marking their third win over Stanford in four seasons. In 2023, the Bears finished with a 6-7 record, achieving road wins over Stanford and UCLA, and becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2019. This marked the fourth consecutive losing season under Wilcox.
Prior to his role as head coach, Wilcox began his career as a college football coach in 2001 as a graduate assistant at Boise State. After two seasons, he moved to the Bay Area to coach the linebackers at California under head coach Jeff Tedford. Following three seasons at Cal, Wilcox returned to Boise State in 2006 as the defensive coordinator, where his defenses were among the highest-rated in the nation. He then held defensive coordinator positions at various universities, including Tennessee, Washington, USC, and Wisconsin, before becoming the head coach of the California Golden Bears.
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Cal Bears' notable players
The California Golden Bears football program, also known as the Cal Bears, has produced several notable players over the years. The team, which represents the University of California, Berkeley, has won five NCAA-recognised national titles and 14 conference championships.
One of the most notable Cal Bears players is quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has been described as the "greatest Cal player in NFL history". A four-time MVP and one-time Super Bowl champion, Rodgers is the career leader in pass efficiency and has been selected for the Pro Bowl eight times. Another notable quarterback is Joe Kapp, who led the team in 1959 and is considered one of the greatest players in Cal history due to his dedication and ability to push his teammates. Other notable quarterbacks include Jared Goff, Steve Bartkowski, Craig Morton, and Rich Campbell.
The Golden Bears have also produced several notable running backs, including Marshawn Lynch, nicknamed "Beast Mode". Lynch, known for his unique personality and play style, had six seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards and averaged 1,339 yards during a four-year stretch. Linebacker Les Richter is also considered one of the best football players ever to come out of Cal, having earned first-team All-Pro status and being named to the Pro Bowl eight times in his nine NFL seasons.
Other notable Cal Bears players include wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Keenan Allen, centre Alex Mack, defensive back Nnamdi Asomugha, and Ed White, an All-American and future member of the College Hall of Fame. The team has also produced several NFL first-round draft picks, including the number one overall picks Steve Bartkowski in 1975 and Jared Goff in 2016.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 26 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams in California.
The California Golden Bears are ranked #288 in the NCAA's NET rankings, making them the lowest-ranked Pac-12 team or any Division I team in the Bay Area.
The California Golden Bears have appeared in 19 NCAA Tournaments, winning the national championship in 1959 and reaching the final four in 1946 and 1960.
