After a thrilling comeback win over Stanford, Cal couldn’t ride that wave into Tallahassee. The Bears fell just short in a gritty 63-61 loss to Florida State, snapping a modest two-game win streak and missing out on what could’ve been a key road win in ACC play.
Florida State came out swinging, opening the game on a 6-0 run that immediately put Cal on the back foot. The Seminoles brought the energy early, and it took the Bears a while to find their footing. Junior guard Dai Dai Ames helped steady things with some timely buckets, but Florida State never really lost control of the tempo in the first half.
The Seminoles closed the half with an 11-2 burst over the final four minutes, stretching their lead to 13 heading into the break - their biggest of the night. Cal went into halftime down 36-23, needing to dig deep to claw their way back.
In the second half, the Bears started to chip away. It wasn’t pretty - Florida State kept sneaking in second-chance points and tip-ins that made it tough for Cal to gain any real traction.
Sloppy possessions and rushed shots didn’t help either. Airballs, defensive lapses, and missed box-outs gave the Seminoles just enough breathing room to stay in control.
But credit to Cal - they didn’t fold. Sophomore guard Justin Pippen was at the heart of the comeback push, playing with poise and energy down the stretch.
He poured in 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds, keeping the Bears within striking distance. Senior guard DeJuan Campbell chipped in with four rebounds and helped spark a late run at the free-throw line, where he and Pippen combined for four straight makes to trim the deficit to just four.
Eventually, Cal even managed to take its first lead since the opening minutes of the game. But every time the Bears made a move, Florida State had a response. The Seminoles tightened up defensively, made just enough plays on the offensive end, and edged Cal on the glass in key moments.
In the end, it was Florida State who walked away with their second ACC win of the season - and Cal left wondering what could’ve been.
For the Bears, this one stings. Florida State is still finding its rhythm in conference play, and this was a winnable game on the road - the kind that can quietly boost a team’s NCAA Tournament resume.
But Cal’s inconsistency, especially in the first half, left them playing catch-up again. And in the ACC, that’s a dangerous game to play.
The fight is there. The talent is there.
But if Cal wants to make noise in this conference, they’ll need to figure out how to control games - not just rally late. Comebacks make for great highlights, but they’re not a winning formula over the long haul.