Cal basketball hitting historic lows under Mark Fox, on verge of worst year in program history

The failure is total.

Let’s take a stock of where Cal is with a run of the latest facts.

Cal is on pace for the worst record in their program history. At 3-19, Cal is about seven more losses away from likely wrapping up the worst season in program history. The worst Cal season prior to this was Dick Kuchen going 6-21 in 1979. Then the two Wyking Jones 8-24 seasons in 2018 & 2019. Cal is currently projected to finish 4-27 by Ken Pomeroy.

Unless Cal wins out and ends up the national champions of college basketball, this will be the third straight 20-loss season in the Mark Fox era, and the fifth 20 loss season in six years. Before Wyking Jones, Cal had two 20-loss seasons in their history.

As for our statistical outlook, Cal’s efficiency has somehow dipped below the horrific Wyking Jones profile. The Bears rank 250th out of 363 Division I teams (Wyking’s teams were 244th and 241st). Cal is in the 200s in both offense and defense, likely for the first time in recent program history.

Cal is also on the verge of many other program lows.

Thanks to playing one of the ten slowest paces in college basketball, Cal is averaging 59.6 points per game, ranking 356th out of 363 teams.

Somehow, Cal is averaging 13.7 turnovers a game despite playing one of the slowest paces in basketball. The 20.9% turnover rate is 325th out of 363 teams. Cal is getting the worst out of all worlds with the slow pace, handing an extra possession to their opponents on one out of every five possessions.

The worst part is most of those turnovers are unforced. Non-steal turnovers happen on 12% of their possessions, 352nd overall.

Additionally,

• Cal also averages just under 10 assists per game, 350th overall.

• Cal’s assist to turnover ratio is sitting at 0.72, 344th overall.

• Cal has an effective 45.3 FG%, 341st overall.

• Cal is shooting 30.1% from three, 329th overall.

• Cal is shooting 46.1% from two, 319th overall.

• Cal’s two point defense is abominable, conceding 52.6% FG, 285th overall.

• Cal’s defense is not forcing that many turnovers relative to how many they’re giving up, with only a 16.7% rate, 291st overall.

Find a category on any side of the basketball, and the Bears are sitting in the bottom tier of college basketball, way behind nearly the entire Power 5 apparatus.

The totality of the ineptitude is stunning. There isn’t one bright spot anywhere.

Mark Fox is on the verge of history. Excited, Bears fans?