USC’s trip to Berkeley on Wednesday night feels like a throwback with a twist.
What used to be a regular conference matchup now lands as an early-season nonconference test, with the 21st-ranked Trojans visiting California at Haas Pavilion. USC is 2-0 after wins over Milwaukee and Wichita State, while the Golden Bears also come in unbeaten, giving both teams a chance to grab an eye-catching result against a familiar name from a very different era.
The Trojans have already shown plenty of scoring punch in the first week. They rolled past Milwaukee 95-63 to open the season, then handled a tougher challenge against Wichita State in a 93-86 win on November 8. That second game mattered more than the opener because USC had to work through a much tighter contest, and putting up 93 points again hinted at how dangerous the offense can be.
A big part of that attack has come through the backcourt. USC’s two starting guards, Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas, have combined to take 49.6% of the Trojans’ shots in their first two games.
Eric Musselman’s squad aims to go 3-0 tonight against Cal in Berkeley.
For California, this is a chance to make a statement of its own. Beating a ranked former conference rival at home would give the Golden Bears an early boost before ACC play begins, and it would do so against a team that still carries the weight of a national ranking.
The broader backdrop is conference realignment, which has reshaped the sport and turned old Pac-12 matchups into cross-country nonconference dates. USC is now in the Big Ten, California in the ACC, so this meeting no longer has the old conference stakes attached to it. Still, the shared history gives the game a different edge than a typical November matchup.
Tipoff is set for 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
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Cal Let A Huge Opportunity Slip Against Ranked USC
Cal had a real chance to make a statement at Haas Pavilion, but the opening against 21st-ranked USC slipped away in a 77-65 loss. Sammie Yeanay led the Bears with 14 points, Nojus Indrusaitis added 13, and the home crowd saw enough stretches of resistance to believe this one could turn. USC, though, had too much scoring balance, with Alijah Arenas finishing with 19 points, Rodney Rice with 18 and KJ Lewis with 16.
The Bears also had to navigate the absence of center Lee Dort, who was out with an ankle injury, leaving another hole in a rotation that could have used his presence against a physical opponent. Cal kept hanging around long enough to keep the pressure on, but the Trojans found the answers when it mattered most, turning a winnable night into another missed opportunity in a game the Bears needed to seize. [Read more 🡒]
Cal Recruiting Just Took Another Hit Fans Can't Ignore
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For a program trying to build momentum on the recruiting trail, the churn is the part that stands out most. The Bears still have work to do to stabilize the class and keep its foundation intact, but the ranking shows there is still enough talent on board to keep Cal in the conversation while the staff tries to stop the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Cals Quarterback Future Suddenly Feels Far Less Certain
Jaron-Keawe Sagapoluteles sophomore season has not matched the promise he showed as a freshman, and the dip has come at a rough time for a Cal team sitting at 3-6. The Bears have spent much of the year trying to steady an offense that has not found enough consistency, and general manager Ron Rivera has already been careful in discussing what comes next, even as he left open the possibility that Sagapolutele could still be part of the program in 2027.
Tosh Lupoi has tried to frame the situation through development, saying the staff is working to build out the offense and put Sagapolutele in a better position to succeed. The quarterback picture only got murkier after Sagapolutele returned from a concussion and was benched in the seventh game of the season, with Jackson Brouseau taking over instead, a move that underscored how unsettled the Bears most important spot has become as the season drifts toward its finish. [Read more 🡒]