While the last few weeks have been tough on Cal basketball fans, we have plenty to look forward to in the NCAA tournament. If Cal can get past USF on Wednesday, we have a good chance at pulling an early-round upset.
Jay Bilas walks us through the NCAA tournament, game-by-game.
No. 12 California over No. 5 Temple: I think that Cal is undervalued and should not have been in a first-round game. The Bears have good guards in Jorge Gutierrez and Allen Crabbe, and have the size to give Temple problems.
No. 4 Michigan over No. 12 California: The Wolverines can shoot it, and play a different style. Cal should give them a hard game, but Michigan is better.
- ESPN's bracket Predictor also gives the Bears an edge over Temple. They use four metrics to help determine a winner. They give the Bears the following chances to win: decision tree,52%; power ratings, 47%; similar games: 54%; and simulation, 46%. The chances against Michigan are less rosy: decision tree, 45%; power ratings, 37%; similar games: 26%; and simulation, 23%
After the jump, more videos from players, plus the women's team gets a bid to the NCAA tourney and softball posts its 21st consecutive win.
Basketball
- Kamp and the Bears are relieved to have earned an NCAA tournament bid, even if it means playing up to three games this week.
- Jon Wilner looks at the winners and losers of the NCAA tournament.
- Kravish has been looking forward to this moment ever since he was little.
- If the BCS ran the basketball postseason Cal would head to the Holiday Bowl to face Texas. Wait a minute...
- Player reactions are below.
Harper Kamp on NCAA Championship Selection (March 11) (via CalBearBlog)
Allen Crabbe on NCAA Championship Selection (March 11) (via CalBearBlog)
David Kravish on NCAA Championship Selection (March 11) (via CalBearBlog)
Justin Cobbs on NCAA Championship Selection (March 11) (via CalBearBlog)
Women's basketball
- The women's team earned an 8-seed and open the tournament Iowa in South Bend. The game tips off at 9:10am on Sunday March 18th. If the Bears win, they will likely face top-seeded Notre Dame on the home court of the Fighting Irish.
- The Bears react to the announcement:
- The Pac-12 women's basketball tournament will move to Seattle next year. While the conference aims to televise every game of the tournament, the change in schedule will force Cal and Stanford to play each other twice in the same week (as will all other conference rivals).
Football
Baseball
- The Bears won game 3 of the series 4-0.
- The series ended with a 2-2 split as Nebraska used an 8-run 5th inning to defeat Cal 9-5.
- Diablo Magazine has an article on former Cal pitcher Matt Gorgen and his brother Scott as they return to baseball following Tommy John surgery.
Tennis
- The 8th-ranked Bears fell 4-2 to no. 15 Pepperdine.
- Duke defeated the Bears 6-1.
- The 10th-ranked women's team topped Utah 6-1.
- Deborah Meier's pair of runner-up finishes at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships earned her the Muscle Milk Student Athlete of the Week award.