76 Comments

Four games in and the team is starting to show what it’s made of. With a deep rotation Madsen can adapt and exploit in multiple ways. It was the first time Andrej S and Joshua Ola-Joseph really showed what they can contribute to the effort. Blacksher Jr is a baddie-such composure and leadership!

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That was one of the most satisfying wins I've seen from a Cal basketball team in a long time. After the debacle at Vanderbilt where we looked unmotivated and outmuscled, we came out sharp and physical and smart and beat a very talented $C team. That was a really solid road win for the Bears. Guys hustled. Even the BIG announcers had to give Cal some credit for how physical we were. Dort was a beast. Sissoko too. Ola Joseph key. Blacksher putting on a clinic for how a smaller man can get his points. Steiokovic was just money going to the rim. What a fun game to watch. We played so tough, and stole their souls. Go Bears!

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Not having Mark on the bench vs Vandy was huge. It was ugly but the future looks good

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This is the most promising Cal has looked early in the season in a while. Hadn’t been to a game in a few years, but I was impressed with how cohesive we looked at times given that everyone is basically new. And the rooting section behind the bench was robust. Go Bears!

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Good win bears! Guess it’s basketball season for real now! Excited to watch.

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JOJ needs to start & get more minutes! I was screaming to put him in for DJ who was getting abused in the post. I <3 his toughness, length, defense and 1 of the only players who has a post game! Spacing was much better to cut down on turnovers. Andrej taking it to the rack!!! Great W especially over sc and the one time Cal coaching prospect lol!

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author

great work from the lads

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Spot on

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YOU KNOW IT! That closing lineup is fire on defense. We seem really good at hiding Blacksher and Ola Joseph plus Omot on the wing make us so hard to score on. Love this squad, seems like all of them are gaining confidence

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I've been wanting to see that 3 wing lineup all year. Our guards have just not been getting it done on defense (Blacksher/Campbell) or both (Wilkinson, Tucker). Running Stojakovic, Omot, JOJ, and Sissoko gives us 4 plus athletes who can play defense straight up.

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JOJ’s athleticism was huge down the stretch.

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Team showed mental toughness coming back from that showing in Nashville.

Hate to do it, but we’re now rooting for USC to run the table…

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Let's just work on winning our games. It matters very little what u$c does the rest of the way.

Oh, and f#%k u$c for imploding the pac12

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No, I’m not.

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But I understand what you’re saying.

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And I you. :-)

Just would love that to be a real quality win at the end of the season if we somehow find ourselves on the bubble.

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go bears!!

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7 hrs agoLiked by Rick Chen

Huge bounce back win after Vanderbilt and also a nice end to the weekend of Cal sports after the miserable Syracuse loss.

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Was there a line on this game?

Fun Fact: Back in my day, the late 70s, $C BB sucked.

It was fun watching Musselman have bulging veins and a mouthful of spittle.

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$C BB absolutely sucked in the late '90s also. I went to a game at the LA Sports Arena in I think 2000 and I could have multiple sections literally to myself. Could have sat behind the bench if security would have let me. Arena was so empty that it was impossible to go undetected.

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author

cal +10 this morning

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Football or BB, we're a spread killer....

Except with Cuse.

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7 hrs agoLiked by Rick Chen

SC by double digits. 10 I believe Rick said.

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Yeah, Baby!

Kind of takes some of the bad taste of the Vandy game outta' my mouth.

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And the Syracuse game.

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Syracuse...

Ugh, I'd almost forget or, at the least, had rationalized it was just a bad dream, like the NC State, Pitt, and Miami games.

Pain....

Beat $C better...

Beat Furd betterer...

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Agreed.

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I've always hated USC.. since we probably wouldn't beat them in football - love beating them in basketball. Since they were undefeated... what was their projected rank ?

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Preseason B1G poll had them 14 of 18.

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Galen Center is Bear Territory! Grinding upset win on the road. Love to see it.

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Big road WIN ... Sweet beating USC!

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7 hrs agoLiked by Rick Chen

I couldn’t stay away.

GREAT WIN

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7 hrs agoLiked by Rick Chen

Hell yes! Fuck $C!

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