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We’re getting to that time. With a crucial home stand coming this week, Cal basketball could have a great shot at improving their tournament standing as the days in February run short.
The California Golden Bears are currently in that dreaded spot that every at-large team fears—the 8-9 seed, which offers about a 2% chance of advancing to the Sweet 16. Joe Lunardi slates Cal as a 9 seed (against VCU), with a rendezvous with Florida in Orlando in the second round. Jerry Palm gives us a 9 seed too against Kansas State (not so bad) in St. Louis (oh come on), with Wichita State looming right behind that. SB Nation’s Chris Dobbertean has us slated as a ten seed in Milwaukee, with a Pittsburgh-Michigan slate to get to the second weekend.
Cal will have three likely tournament teams on their schedule in the next two weeks. Win one and the Bears should feel like they’re in good shape to make the dance. Win two and they’re almost certainly in. Sweep the next two weeks and Monty will have the chance to finish above a 7 seed for the first time since he came to Cal.
A lot is at stake these next four weeks, and for once this conference will provide us plenty of opportunities to bolster the resume.
