After a 13-point exhibition loss to Oregon State in Corvallis, Cal heads into its Nov. 2 home opener looking for something bigger than a win total: a better feel for who this team is.
The Bears have been reworked almost top to bottom. They lost nearly their entire starting lineup in the offseason, brought in five newcomers and still managed to keep nine players from last year’s roster. That mix has given fourth-year coach Mark Madsen reason to believe the foundation is there, even if the pieces are still settling.
“We lost some players. We lost some production,” said fourth-year head coach Mark Madsen, expressing his optimism about the upcoming season at the ACC Tipoff earlier this month.
“But we’re able to really refill the roster with great people. This was our best year of retention.”
The early exhibition results in Westchester and Corvallis offered a first look at the growing pains. With no broadcast and a relatively forgiving setting, Cal had room to sort through the wrinkles that come with playing in the “best basketball conference in the country.”
Against Oregon State, there were encouraging signs. Junior forward Sammie Yeanay, one of the returners, delivered a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Pitt transfer guard Nojus Indrusaitis added 17 points, while Georgia transfer guard Jordan Ross finished with 11.
There was still plenty of evidence that this group is learning on the fly. Oregon State controlled the paint 36-28, outscored Cal’s bench more than two-to-one and finished at 52.4% from the field. The Beavers’ efficiency exposed how much familiarity still has to develop for a roster trying to find its rhythm.
That’s the task now for Madsen’s reshaped lineup: build a style that fits, and do it quickly after last season’s 22-12 run ended before it could turn into an NCAA tournament push.
“We came into a program that had struggled a little bit in terms of wins, and we’ve been able to improve the wins every single year that we’ve been here,” Madsen said earlier this month. “We hope to be able to surpass the 22 wins that we had last year and have an even better season this year.”
Monday’s matchup with Division II Adams State gives Cal another chance to keep working without the pressure that comes later. The Bears have had a light preseason slate, and the home crowd at Haas Pavilion should provide a calmer stage than the one they faced in Corvallis.
Adams State arrives with some continuity of its own, bringing back seven returners from last season. The Grizzlies may not be a familiar name in Berkeley, but they do show up with numbers that compare reasonably well to Cal.
Both teams are shooting in the mid-to-high 40s from the field, with Adams State checking in at roughly 47% and Cal at 45%. The Grizzlies also hold the edge in steals and blocks per game.
With Dai Dai Ames and Justin Pippen gone from the Cal roster, Monday should offer a better glimpse at who is going to carry the Bears this season. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at Haas Pavilion.
In Other News...
Cal Walks Into A Wolfpack Spot Bears Fans Know Can Get Dangerous
NC State enters this week in a very different place than it expected to be in when the season began. Dave Doeren was fired after a loss that dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4, and eighth-year assistant Todd Goebbel has been handed the interim job as the program tries to steady itself before Cal comes to town. For the Bears, it is the kind of matchup that can get tricky fast, especially when a team is trying to reset emotionally as well as tactically.
Cal will also have its own important piece back in place. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is set to return as the starting quarterback after dealing with a concussion, giving the Bears a key element of continuity as they head into a game against a Wolfpack team suddenly led by a new voice. With the coaching change fresh and the week shortened by all the upheaval, this has the feel of a spot where the details matter just as much as the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Cal In The Hunt For A Recruiting Win Mark Madsen Needs
A promising recruiting battle is coming into focus for Cal, with one of the top center prospects in the 2027 class nearing a decision. Lewis Uvwo has drawn interest from a long list of major programs, and the Bears are squarely in the mix after recently hosting him for a visit. He is regarded as one of the better big men in his class by multiple recruiting services, which is exactly the kind of profile Mark Madsen has been chasing as he looks to keep building out the frontcourt.
Uvwos visit gave Cal a chance to sell more than just playing time. He noted the Bears development plan for him, a point that matters for a prospect with major-program options and plenty of suitors already in the picture. With several blueblood-level programs still involved and a decision expected soon, Cal has positioned itself as a legitimate contender for a commitment that would carry real weight for the programs next phase. [Read more 🡒]
Tosh Lupoi Is Pushing Cal's Locker Room To Change This Season
With Cal sitting at 3-5 heading into its matchup with NC State, Tosh Lupoi is spending as much time on the locker room as the game plan. The first-year head coach has been talking openly about the need for better leadership and more consistent performance, and he has made it clear that the change he wants has to come from inside the room as much as from the sideline.
Lupoi has pointed to player leadership as a key part of that reset, asking veterans to help set the tone for a team trying to steady itself during a difficult stretch. He is also navigating his first season as a head coach with help from general manager Ron Rivera, who has been a mentor and sounding board as Lupoi works through the challenges of building something more durable in Berkeley. [Read more 🡒]