Cal’s first stumble of the season came against a ranked heavyweight, and the Bears never quite found their footing in Lake Tahoe.
Facing then-No. 10 Houston in the inaugural Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic, Cal took its first loss of the year in an 86-68 defeat after trailing by double figures for much of the afternoon. The Bears entered the weekend with back-to-back double-digit wins and were hoping to keep that momentum rolling in what was easily their toughest test so far.
There was at least one boost before tipoff: head coach Mark Madsen was back with the team after missing time because of a family emergency. Cal still had to manage without center Lee Dort, though, and Houston made that absence felt early and often.
The Cougars opened with a 5-0 burst before junior forward Sammie Yeanay answered with a step-back 3-pointer for Cal’s first points. The Bears stayed within reach for the first few minutes, but Houston quickly took control by pounding the ball inside and turning that pressure into easy looks.
Forwards Joseph Tugler and Delrecco Gillespie were a problem in the paint, helping the Cougars stretch the lead to 17 points with more than eight minutes left in the first half. Cal did get steady scoring from guards Michael Cooper and Jordan Ross, who each had 8 points by halftime, and that push helped trim the margin to 43-32 at the break.
The second half started the same way the first one did: with Houston on the gas. The Cougars ripped off a 7-0 run to open the period, and even after Yeanay buried another 3-pointer to slow the surge, Cal never really threatened to flip the game.
Gillespie kept rolling and helped Houston push the lead to 23 points with about 12 minutes remaining. From there, the Cougars were able to cruise behind senior guard Dedan Thomas Jr., who scored 14 points in the final frame.
Afterward, Madsen didn’t sugarcoat what went wrong.
“We had a bad start,” Madsen said after the game. “It can’t look like that in the first half.
They ran it down our throat. They got transition layups.
We didn’t box out, and I take responsibility for that because I didn’t have our guys ready to play - ready to do those two things.”
Cooper led Cal with 19 points, his third game in double figures this season, and he stayed hot from deep by knocking down five 3-pointers. The Bears shot 43.9% from the field, but that wasn’t enough to offset 16 turnovers and Houston’s 52.2% shooting.
The biggest issue was inside. Cal gave up 50 points in the paint, and Madsen pointed directly to that number after the game.
“Unacceptable,” Madsen said when referring to the paint differential. “They got layups and dunks.
We didn’t have enough force, enough power to keep them out of the paint. We’ll watch the film, we’ll learn from it and we’ll attack it.”
The Bears also had another ranked opponent watching from the same building. No.
21 USC, which played later that evening, was scouting ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Cal. The Trojans handled Wichita State 93-86 and enter that game at 2-0 after back-to-back strong offensive outings.
Alijah Arenas and Rodney Rice each scored 30 points for USC in Lake Tahoe, and both have reached double figures in every game so far. That kind of production will be a major challenge for Cal, especially after the defensive issues the Bears showed against Houston.
Cal will host USC at Haas Pavilion on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
In Other News...
Fernando Mendoza Just Landed The NFL Chance Cal Fans Wanted
The NFL has a way of reshuffling the Cal family just when it feels settled, and this latest move gives Fernando Mendoza the kind of opening Golden Bears fans have been waiting to see. A Cal graduate, Mendoza now steps into the Raiders starting quarterback job after Las Vegas sent Kirk Cousins to Minnesota, a jolt that instantly changes the conversation around one of the programs most visible pro alums.
Mendoza is not the only former Bear drawing attention, either. The story also tracks several ex-Cal players around the league, including wide receiver Allen, whose own career arc has become part of a broader look at just how accomplished this group has been. With Hall of Fame chatter attached to some of those names and Mendoza suddenly in position to add his own chapter, Cals NFL footprint feels as relevant as ever. [Read more 🡒]
Ron Rivera Just Put Tosh Lupois Cal Future Under A Harsh Spotlight
Ron Rivera did not exactly soften the picture around Cals football program this week. The Bears general manager publicly addressed the challenges facing head coach Tosh Lupoi during a 3-6 season, pointing to a staff still trying to find its footing in areas like coaching experience, penalties and overall discipline. Rivera said Lupoi has been getting advice from a range of mentors, but also made clear that the job now requires more than suggestions and support.
The broader message was one of urgency without a clean answer. Rivera suggested it may be too soon to talk seriously about moving on from Lupoi, even as the on-field issues continue to pile up, because the programs next step is tied to more than just frustration over results. For Cal, the question is no longer whether the season has gone off track. It is whether Lupoi can sharpen the coaching, steady the culture and give the Bears a reason to believe the current direction is worth sticking with. [Read more 🡒]
Kingston Lopa Gives Cal Fans A Bright Spot Worth Watching
Kingston Lopas season has already given Cal something to point to on the defensive side, and now it has earned him national recognition as well. The Bears safety was named one of the semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the honor given to the countrys top defensive player, a notable nod for a player who has been central to Cals back end even while dealing with a concussion that cost him two games.
For Cal, the selection is also a reminder of how much impact Lopa has made in a relatively short stretch. He has been one of the nations most productive defensive backs in both interceptions and pass coverage, and he becomes the fourth Cal player to reach semifinalist status for the award. The bigger question now is how far that kind of season can carry him, and whether the Bears can keep getting the same kind of play from him down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]