Cal controlled the game tip to buzzer, and agree the final margin should have been 15+, but debating how many points Cal should have beat a Pac12 team on the road is a new experience for me (in a long time)
Aimaq dominated on both sides of the court, and although the double-double is what people will talk about I agree it’s his 5 assists that helped made the cal train go
Also, as much as Tyson and Aimaq gets the headlines I’m loving Kennedy. It was his best shooting game but he locked down their best player and jumped 4 passes. It’s a shame he only has one year at cal but does he have a brother???
I also like handing whinny Hurley a big loss on his home floor
I think its great what Cal basketball has accomplished so far this season. With a break here or there they could be well over. 500. The thing for me is that 3 of the 5 starters will be gone next year. Let's hope that Masden can continue to bring in good portal transfers and some highly regarded high school recruits. Go Bears!
Yeah, maybe this is partly why I want to get as many wins now; both because there are no guarantees of future wins, and because the more wins now, the more Madsen proves he can win at Cal, which might convince more recruits to come.
Yeah, Cal needs to keep on winning to 1) improve our post season NCAA playoff chances (still very much alive), and 2) if allowed (and I don't see why it wouldn't be) have NIL and high school recruits listen to what our current players tell them about how much their games have improved under Madsen. If we play our cards right Cal should be much better next year, all because of improvement of returnees (unfortunastely not many) and the trove of very good new players Madsen wil convince to come to Cal.
Would love to hear how high Cal needs to finish in the Pac 12 tournament to get into the NCAA's even if we don't win it the Pac 12 tournqmn5 I think we need to finish second or third to do so. I think just a winning overall record should provide an excellent chance to get into the NIT. A good article from WFC, and published very soon, should be published. Looking forward to reading it. Might be good to set up the questions be answered and let a few WFC staff take a crack at answering them.
This comment in Google disagrees with you and agrees with me. Check out Google, which indicates at large entry into the tournament is allowed.
People also ask
How does the NCAA determine who makes it into the tournament?
Currently, thirty-two (32) teams gain automatic entry through winning their conference's championship. The remaining teams (36 men's, 36 women's) rely on the selection committee to award them an at-large bid in the tournament.
This was a very satisfying game to watch and so happy for them. It was a wild game for sure, with many fouls not called for whatever reason, but so it goes. Balanced scoring and resiliency. Go Bears!
The home games are a must, let's start there. The team has finally begun to jell on both sides of the ball. Can they continue to improve, with more contributions from other than the three top scorers, and the bench.
You show that great minds think alike. It is evident that something has recently clicked for Cal basketball from Madsen's tireless schooling of his troops and they have suddenly "got it." Arizona was just too good for Cal, as they have premier talent and have a deep bench, unlike Cal. I predict Arizona will go far in the tourney but Cal has a longshot chance of getting in as well.
Madsen is a hell of a coach and his recruiting and unrelenting teaching prowess bode very well for Cal's future, they it may take more than a year in the future to bear fruit. Cal players should be the best recruiters for Cal since they will likely tell new recruits how much their play has improved under Madsent. Cal basketball could soon surpass football as being the best major sport on the Cal campus, though we need some good recruiting as our current number of good players is very thin.
Unless there is rule that you have to win your conference tournament to get into the tournament, I can't seee how what you said is possible. Say Arizona won every of their games this year but didn't win the Pac 12 tournament. It would be the height of absurdity and totally unfair not to not let them into the NCAA's.
Should have included in my hypothetical that Arizona was ranked #1 nationally AFTER their Pac 12 loss in their last game. Can't believe the NCAA wouldn't let them into the tournament under those circumstances or even a less one sided one.
To have any chance to get into the NCAA's, Cal needs to have an overall winning record any do well in the Pac 12 tournament (hopefully second, as they have no chance for first -- Arizona is going to take that). An overall record might get them into the NIT, if there is one for the women.
They need more than a winning record and a good showing in the conference tournament to get into the NCAAs. They need a conference tourney win. That’s it. That’s the only scenario. Hypothetically, any team can get in that is selected by the committee regardless of their record, but even if we go on a run we’re not even in the conversation. The scenario you pose belies the precedence of the past 40 years since the tourney went to 64. Google says a lot of things, much of it bull shit.
Yup. The NCAA uses the NET ranking, for the most part, to decide the at large bids. Cal is currently 123. Very rarely does the NCAA choose an at large team below 40 or so. No way we make it without winning the Pac-12 tournament.
Google does give out accurate relationship - but the user needs to ask the correct question.
The question that GB49 seems to be asking is how does one team make the NCAA tourney - whereas the correct question is "What are Cal's chances of making the NCAA?" - and if you check out the various bracketology and betting sites, you would find that Nick, PawlOski, heyalumnigo, GlueandBold (and anyone else I missed) - short of winning the Pac-12 tournament, Cal will not be going to the NCAA Tournament.
I admit I am only starting to follow Cal basketball. But I just look at the rules or what maybe necessary, factually, to see if we have a chance. I only fear Arizona as being unbeatable, but I doubt we will play them in the first round of the tournament, but could be wrong about it. I now place some hope from your statement that "they" (Cal) needs a tourney win." That may reasonably be doable, but more is needed and our short bench strengh will not help in that regard.
Cal’s basketball team is an excellent one, whose overall record is misleading. Altho impossible to prove, drawing on the historical cosmic forces of sport, my opinion is that Cal lost at least 70% of its early season loses because it was still in the process of breaking thru and out of the blanket of negativity created by the last 6 years of horrific losing basketball at Cal. This streak created a massive hole for the current new team and coach to dig its way out of. Refs also had to be re-educated to believe that Cal now had quality skilled players who deserved to be treated fairly. This team has carried the burden of being the sacrificial lamb that will serve to pave the way for future success. They could indeed win the last PAC tournament, assuming they stop treating Arizona with way too much respect. In any event, they are a fun skilled team to watch and Madsen has brought Cal basketball back to life. Go Bears!
I just don't think we have the players to beat Arizona, and it really comes to our bigs, or lack thereof. We need more than just Aimaq. With Okafor gone, he can't really go on the bench because behind him is Curtis/Larson. We need to do what we can to be seeded high enough that Arizona has multiple chances at losing before us if we want to make the tourney.
Really looking forward to how our recruiting will look going forward. I imagine that even with the extended travel, it must be a huge sell to be able to attend Cal and then regularly play against traditional basketball powers like Duke and UNC. The P12 had UCLA and Arizona, but both teams have been incapable of breaking through the ceiling again for so long. I think the 2nd half of the 00's really was the peak of P10/12 sports. Football had USC / Cal / Oregon / ASU, Basketball had UA / UCLA / Cal with multiple other teams rotating in and out. Once we got to the P12, it felt like we could only be good at one sport at a time as a conference.
I LOVE READING ABOUT WINS
Cal controlled the game tip to buzzer, and agree the final margin should have been 15+, but debating how many points Cal should have beat a Pac12 team on the road is a new experience for me (in a long time)
Aimaq dominated on both sides of the court, and although the double-double is what people will talk about I agree it’s his 5 assists that helped made the cal train go
Also, as much as Tyson and Aimaq gets the headlines I’m loving Kennedy. It was his best shooting game but he locked down their best player and jumped 4 passes. It’s a shame he only has one year at cal but does he have a brother???
I also like handing whinny Hurley a big loss on his home floor
I’ll be there next Saturday with daughter. In the lower corner behind Cal bench.
We need to fill Haas again
Probably last time in a long while we will play ucla and usc, and certainly not on our home floor
Wouldn’t it be nice to sweep UCLA and beat Bronny James and SC
YES !
It would be truly fabulous !!!
Mark's mom! Hello Mrs. Madsen. Thank you for birthing your son. He is an exceptional human being and coach. We are lucky to have him.
I love you for saying that. And I agree. But, I bet you are a pretty awesome person too.
I think its great what Cal basketball has accomplished so far this season. With a break here or there they could be well over. 500. The thing for me is that 3 of the 5 starters will be gone next year. Let's hope that Masden can continue to bring in good portal transfers and some highly regarded high school recruits. Go Bears!
Yeah, maybe this is partly why I want to get as many wins now; both because there are no guarantees of future wins, and because the more wins now, the more Madsen proves he can win at Cal, which might convince more recruits to come.
Gobears49
Yeah, Cal needs to keep on winning to 1) improve our post season NCAA playoff chances (still very much alive), and 2) if allowed (and I don't see why it wouldn't be) have NIL and high school recruits listen to what our current players tell them about how much their games have improved under Madsen. If we play our cards right Cal should be much better next year, all because of improvement of returnees (unfortunastely not many) and the trove of very good new players Madsen wil convince to come to Cal.
Would love to hear how high Cal needs to finish in the Pac 12 tournament to get into the NCAA's even if we don't win it the Pac 12 tournqmn5 I think we need to finish second or third to do so. I think just a winning overall record should provide an excellent chance to get into the NIT. A good article from WFC, and published very soon, should be published. Looking forward to reading it. Might be good to set up the questions be answered and let a few WFC staff take a crack at answering them.
The only way Cal makes the NCAA tournament is by winning the Pac-12 tournament
Gobears49
This comment in Google disagrees with you and agrees with me. Check out Google, which indicates at large entry into the tournament is allowed.
People also ask
How does the NCAA determine who makes it into the tournament?
Currently, thirty-two (32) teams gain automatic entry through winning their conference's championship. The remaining teams (36 men's, 36 women's) rely on the selection committee to award them an at-large bid in the tournament.
$$$
Players want $
Every year requires another reshuffling of the deck now it seems.
Thank you for such a great, insightful article!
Utah, Colorado both undefeated at their homes can credit their high elevations weakening opponents. Hopefully, we will cause those records to fall.
With Cone’s, Keonte’s & others’ great improving skills added into the mix Cal might increasingly continue to astound everyone.
Add in ever-growing genuine team chemistry I predict and hope for a spangled shooting star season finish !
You heard it here first: Cal makes NIT, goes to MSG as final four.
i hate to rain on the parade but the NIT has moved the final four to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas
Even better!
Great win. Cone and Aimaq were stars.
This was a very satisfying game to watch and so happy for them. It was a wild game for sure, with many fouls not called for whatever reason, but so it goes. Balanced scoring and resiliency. Go Bears!
The home games are a must, let's start there. The team has finally begun to jell on both sides of the ball. Can they continue to improve, with more contributions from other than the three top scorers, and the bench.
Great win for the Bears. Nice threads for the Devils.
Thoroughly enjoyable game. No nail biting stretches. We always seemed to, at the least, get the cushion of a good lead restored.
Go Bears!
Gobears49
You show that great minds think alike. It is evident that something has recently clicked for Cal basketball from Madsen's tireless schooling of his troops and they have suddenly "got it." Arizona was just too good for Cal, as they have premier talent and have a deep bench, unlike Cal. I predict Arizona will go far in the tourney but Cal has a longshot chance of getting in as well.
Madsen is a hell of a coach and his recruiting and unrelenting teaching prowess bode very well for Cal's future, they it may take more than a year in the future to bear fruit. Cal players should be the best recruiters for Cal since they will likely tell new recruits how much their play has improved under Madsent. Cal basketball could soon surpass football as being the best major sport on the Cal campus, though we need some good recruiting as our current number of good players is very thin.
Gobears49
Unless there is rule that you have to win your conference tournament to get into the tournament, I can't seee how what you said is possible. Say Arizona won every of their games this year but didn't win the Pac 12 tournament. It would be the height of absurdity and totally unfair not to not let them into the NCAA's.
Should have included in my hypothetical that Arizona was ranked #1 nationally AFTER their Pac 12 loss in their last game. Can't believe the NCAA wouldn't let them into the tournament under those circumstances or even a less one sided one.
San Diego State 2017 road win erasure, Wyking conquered Viejas!
Gobears49
To have any chance to get into the NCAA's, Cal needs to have an overall winning record any do well in the Pac 12 tournament (hopefully second, as they have no chance for first -- Arizona is going to take that). An overall record might get them into the NIT, if there is one for the women.
They need more than a winning record and a good showing in the conference tournament to get into the NCAAs. They need a conference tourney win. That’s it. That’s the only scenario. Hypothetically, any team can get in that is selected by the committee regardless of their record, but even if we go on a run we’re not even in the conversation. The scenario you pose belies the precedence of the past 40 years since the tourney went to 64. Google says a lot of things, much of it bull shit.
Yup. The NCAA uses the NET ranking, for the most part, to decide the at large bids. Cal is currently 123. Very rarely does the NCAA choose an at large team below 40 or so. No way we make it without winning the Pac-12 tournament.
Google does give out accurate relationship - but the user needs to ask the correct question.
The question that GB49 seems to be asking is how does one team make the NCAA tourney - whereas the correct question is "What are Cal's chances of making the NCAA?" - and if you check out the various bracketology and betting sites, you would find that Nick, PawlOski, heyalumnigo, GlueandBold (and anyone else I missed) - short of winning the Pac-12 tournament, Cal will not be going to the NCAA Tournament.
Gobears49
I admit I am only starting to follow Cal basketball. But I just look at the rules or what maybe necessary, factually, to see if we have a chance. I only fear Arizona as being unbeatable, but I doubt we will play them in the first round of the tournament, but could be wrong about it. I now place some hope from your statement that "they" (Cal) needs a tourney win." That may reasonably be doable, but more is needed and our short bench strengh will not help in that regard.
Cal’s basketball team is an excellent one, whose overall record is misleading. Altho impossible to prove, drawing on the historical cosmic forces of sport, my opinion is that Cal lost at least 70% of its early season loses because it was still in the process of breaking thru and out of the blanket of negativity created by the last 6 years of horrific losing basketball at Cal. This streak created a massive hole for the current new team and coach to dig its way out of. Refs also had to be re-educated to believe that Cal now had quality skilled players who deserved to be treated fairly. This team has carried the burden of being the sacrificial lamb that will serve to pave the way for future success. They could indeed win the last PAC tournament, assuming they stop treating Arizona with way too much respect. In any event, they are a fun skilled team to watch and Madsen has brought Cal basketball back to life. Go Bears!
I just don't think we have the players to beat Arizona, and it really comes to our bigs, or lack thereof. We need more than just Aimaq. With Okafor gone, he can't really go on the bench because behind him is Curtis/Larson. We need to do what we can to be seeded high enough that Arizona has multiple chances at losing before us if we want to make the tourney.
Really looking forward to how our recruiting will look going forward. I imagine that even with the extended travel, it must be a huge sell to be able to attend Cal and then regularly play against traditional basketball powers like Duke and UNC. The P12 had UCLA and Arizona, but both teams have been incapable of breaking through the ceiling again for so long. I think the 2nd half of the 00's really was the peak of P10/12 sports. Football had USC / Cal / Oregon / ASU, Basketball had UA / UCLA / Cal with multiple other teams rotating in and out. Once we got to the P12, it felt like we could only be good at one sport at a time as a conference.