I don't know who wrote this, but it is an excellent review and analysis. Keep up these great reports. Decades ago I was a sportswriter for a daily. That was after I was the sports editor of The Daily Cal during my senior year. Go Bears!
In the NIL/transfer portal era, it is so hard to say. Lot of guys walked on Senior Day yesterday FWIW - ideally Dort returns and gets a year back for his ‘23-‘24 injury year at Vandy, and Rytis gets a year back and chooses to stay.
I am hopeful JP returns. Dai Dai is more -likely-than-not to be gone. Carr should return, but needs to take a pretty big step forward if he is to show he can be a factor at this level, which he is completely eligible to do after earning meaningful minutes as a true FR.
We need to continue to up the talent level, or have returners take a step forward. And what do they actually have in Jovani Ruff?
I don't know this roster gets poached outside of Pippen. But if we can keep it together and focus on adding some experienced 4's and 5's, we're cooking.
Would love a big with an actual back to the basket game. Big Lee’s return has been great, but his low post moves are still somewhat limited and when those outside shots are not falling, we really struggle to score - be great to get a player that can convert in the paint with a variety of moves. These extended scoring droughts have been consistent in the MM era, though honestly when you’re turning the ball over to the extent they did, it makes it tough to beat anyone.
A stunning fail. Losing by sixteen at home, to one of the worst teams in the conference. Pitt, to its credit, did its best to provide a physical response to Cal’s go-to approach of getting into the key. They out-muscled the Bears all day, forcing Cal into poor decisions. Then with Cal missing so many shots, Pitt sealed the deal with its own aggressive offensive play; what a disappointing way to end an otherwise uplifting year at Haas.
Lots of bubble teams trying to play their way out...but we really couldn't afford to lose this one.
As a note, falling to the #10 seed slots us in against the 7->2 seeds, not 6/3. That's most likely a sharp Louisville team followed by an excellent Virginia, a very hard path.
As devastating of a loss as you could honestly have as a bubble team because the strength of Cal’s resume was NOT having this type of crippling loss.
Such a bummer - when we threw around the ACC gauntlet that they would need to navigate in order to Dance after the Columbia win, in NO scenario was a home loss to f-ing Pitt part of the equation. Just such a dagger of an effort, from the players and coaching staff. The turnovers were my issue - you’re going to have bad shooting nights - but you can’t be careless with the ball in such a big game.
Still, at the same time, there have been signs - they really should have lost to Notre Dame at Haas, and very easily could have lost to a bad Georgia Tech team at home. The Yellow Jackets will have confidence and it’s not hard to envision the Bears struggling in ATL Wednesday, especially because they’ve struggled in all the Wed ACC road games after travel. They also let UOP hang around, they struggled much of the night to put away D2 Dominican, likewise with Northwestern State…so this effort may not be a complete shock. Still, you’d like to have seen them play clean, even if the shots were not falling.
Really hard to see a legit path to the Dance now, but sweeping the weekend, something they have not done all year, is essential. Tough to see it happening.
Still, tho it hurts in the pit of the stomach now, it was nonetheless a successful year already.
I’m still reeling from the disappointment of Saturday…the effects of that game were just a stomach punch.
It’s nice to finally feel SOMETHING about MBB after the Williams/Knowlton disaster but man - haven’t missed these crushing, Bubble-bursting losses the past 9+ years, that’s for sure….
While I agree that the officiating didn’t make “the” difference in this game, I do think it was ever present. There were !many! overly-physical clear-outs that went uncalled, many fouls on us while shooting that went uncalled, etc. It set a tone for a very physical game that we don’t play well.
And, is it just me or did it seem that Pitt was a PG and a bunch of 3s on the floor at all times?
Great post. Do we really have to reach the semis though to go dancing? ESPN Analytics had us at an interesting 29.5% chance despite the loss, and I would figure that number would make sense for winning the next 3. Winning 4 in a row, especially if we get the 8-9 seed which would end up being duke in the quarterfinals, seems almost impossible. As bad as this loss is, wouldn't ~5-6 quad 1 wins (depending on the shakeups of those wins) and some favorable losses from bubble teams around us, be a more realistic path?
I don't think so - too many other bubble teams hanging around the hoop. Losing at WF would have been ok relatively speaking. This is a disaster because it is at home against a terrible opponent.
I don't know who wrote this, but it is an excellent review and analysis. Keep up these great reports. Decades ago I was a sportswriter for a daily. That was after I was the sports editor of The Daily Cal during my senior year. Go Bears!
Thank you! You can call me Don.
You tell me at the beginning of the year were an NIT team, I’d have been happy.
Cal still somehow managed to make that fact completely disappointing and underwhelming with this awful effort. Wild.
Clear progress in year 3 is nice. Now what happens in year 4, tho, with what is likely another completely rebuilt roster?
Agree that progress is encouraging.
Of Pippen, Ames and Carr, how many do you see returning?
In the NIL/transfer portal era, it is so hard to say. Lot of guys walked on Senior Day yesterday FWIW - ideally Dort returns and gets a year back for his ‘23-‘24 injury year at Vandy, and Rytis gets a year back and chooses to stay.
I am hopeful JP returns. Dai Dai is more -likely-than-not to be gone. Carr should return, but needs to take a pretty big step forward if he is to show he can be a factor at this level, which he is completely eligible to do after earning meaningful minutes as a true FR.
We need to continue to up the talent level, or have returners take a step forward. And what do they actually have in Jovani Ruff?
Nice to know RP & Dort may have another year left. That could be huge if they stuck around
I don't know this roster gets poached outside of Pippen. But if we can keep it together and focus on adding some experienced 4's and 5's, we're cooking.
Would love a big with an actual back to the basket game. Big Lee’s return has been great, but his low post moves are still somewhat limited and when those outside shots are not falling, we really struggle to score - be great to get a player that can convert in the paint with a variety of moves. These extended scoring droughts have been consistent in the MM era, though honestly when you’re turning the ball over to the extent they did, it makes it tough to beat anyone.
A very disappointing loss.
A stunning fail. Losing by sixteen at home, to one of the worst teams in the conference. Pitt, to its credit, did its best to provide a physical response to Cal’s go-to approach of getting into the key. They out-muscled the Bears all day, forcing Cal into poor decisions. Then with Cal missing so many shots, Pitt sealed the deal with its own aggressive offensive play; what a disappointing way to end an otherwise uplifting year at Haas.
Yes. Too many turnovers, settling for three-point shots, and we seemed tight, missing shots. Also, the fact that Joe Lunardi must have jinxed us!
Lots of bubble teams trying to play their way out...but we really couldn't afford to lose this one.
As a note, falling to the #10 seed slots us in against the 7->2 seeds, not 6/3. That's most likely a sharp Louisville team followed by an excellent Virginia, a very hard path.
As devastating of a loss as you could honestly have as a bubble team because the strength of Cal’s resume was NOT having this type of crippling loss.
Such a bummer - when we threw around the ACC gauntlet that they would need to navigate in order to Dance after the Columbia win, in NO scenario was a home loss to f-ing Pitt part of the equation. Just such a dagger of an effort, from the players and coaching staff. The turnovers were my issue - you’re going to have bad shooting nights - but you can’t be careless with the ball in such a big game.
Still, at the same time, there have been signs - they really should have lost to Notre Dame at Haas, and very easily could have lost to a bad Georgia Tech team at home. The Yellow Jackets will have confidence and it’s not hard to envision the Bears struggling in ATL Wednesday, especially because they’ve struggled in all the Wed ACC road games after travel. They also let UOP hang around, they struggled much of the night to put away D2 Dominican, likewise with Northwestern State…so this effort may not be a complete shock. Still, you’d like to have seen them play clean, even if the shots were not falling.
Really hard to see a legit path to the Dance now, but sweeping the weekend, something they have not done all year, is essential. Tough to see it happening.
Still, tho it hurts in the pit of the stomach now, it was nonetheless a successful year already.
It's often the games you least suspect. I couldn't watch due to my location, but the problems were evident in the gamecast (and also the stats).
NIT was the primary growth goal this year but, man, it would have been so nice to be in the Big Dance. Still hoping for a miracle.
I’m still reeling from the disappointment of Saturday…the effects of that game were just a stomach punch.
It’s nice to finally feel SOMETHING about MBB after the Williams/Knowlton disaster but man - haven’t missed these crushing, Bubble-bursting losses the past 9+ years, that’s for sure….
While I agree that the officiating didn’t make “the” difference in this game, I do think it was ever present. There were !many! overly-physical clear-outs that went uncalled, many fouls on us while shooting that went uncalled, etc. It set a tone for a very physical game that we don’t play well.
And, is it just me or did it seem that Pitt was a PG and a bunch of 3s on the floor at all times?
Great post. Do we really have to reach the semis though to go dancing? ESPN Analytics had us at an interesting 29.5% chance despite the loss, and I would figure that number would make sense for winning the next 3. Winning 4 in a row, especially if we get the 8-9 seed which would end up being duke in the quarterfinals, seems almost impossible. As bad as this loss is, wouldn't ~5-6 quad 1 wins (depending on the shakeups of those wins) and some favorable losses from bubble teams around us, be a more realistic path?
You now have to win the next 2, AND win a quality ACCT game, AND get help.
This was the 1 game they could not afford to lose - a Q3 at home. Blown out - never led.
Not a Tournament team, despite what Capel said. When outside shots aren’t falling there’s no ability to score….no easy buckets in the paint.
I don't think so - too many other bubble teams hanging around the hoop. Losing at WF would have been ok relatively speaking. This is a disaster because it is at home against a terrible opponent.