Cal basketball 2017 schedule: Pac-12 pairings announced, no UCLA & USC home games

Let’s take a look at each of the games on the upcoming schedule. For the second straight year, the Bears will only play UCLA or USC once on the schedule. Cal will resume playing UCLA and USC regularly in 2017-18.

Week of Dec. 28-Jan. 1: Arizona, Arizona State. The Golden Bears start out with their hardest home games during a week where most Cal fans will be on vacation. .

Week of Jan. 4-8: at UCLA, at USC. Cal immediately must hit the road for the early January Los Angeles trip.

Week of Jan. 11-15: Washington, Washington State. Cal gets a bit too many early home games for my liking. The Bears will be left with only five home Pac-12 games with the students back in session.

Week of Jan. 18-22: at Oregon, at Oregon State.

Week of Jan. 25-29: Stanford. At least Big Game on hardwood stays within the confines of the spring semester.

Week of Feb. 1-5: Colorado, Utah. Cal’s two weeks at home will be big. Unfortunately it’s followed up by two weeks on the road.

Week of Feb. 8-12: at Arizona, at Arizona State. Cal gets two weeks at home to prepare for their Arizona matchup. Will it be enough to pull it off?

Week of Feb. 15-19: at Stanford. Is this a year Cal finally sweep their rival? It’s been too long.

Week of Feb. 22-26: Oregon, Oregon State. Cal finishes up with the Ducks and the Beavers, two programs they have dominated at home most of this decade.

Week of March 1-4: at Colorado, at Utah. Not the Mountain road trip. God I hate the Mountain road trip.

Cal fans, your thoughts on the schedule?