Tag: California Golden Bears

Men’s Basketball: Duke’s ACC opponents for 2024 are set

The ACC released its conference opponent schedule for 2024-25 on Thursday evening. See who Duke will host and travel to here.

The Duke Blue Devils have officially entered the month of March, which means things will get serious for them on the basketball court. The Blue Devils have just three regular-season games remaining before they play in the ACC Tournament and, after that, the NCAA Tournament for a chance to win the program’s sixth national title.

Even while that takes place, there’s an eye on next year’s team as the Blue Devils discover who their conference opponents will be for the 2024-25 season.

Next year is a big year for the ACC as it welcomes three new teams to the conference: SMU, Stanford, and California.

The expansion means some tweaks to the normal ACC schedule, however, and the conference revealed each team’s ACC foes for the 2024-25 season on Thursday.

Duke’s 20-game schedule for 2024-25 features two two-game series (home and away) versus its two current partners, North Carolina and Wake Forest. The Blue Devils are 1-2 currently this year against both teams. They also have a home-and-away series with the Miami Hurricanes for next season.

Duke will host California at Cameron Indoor for the first time. The last time the schools played was in 2019 when Duke blew Cal out by 35 points in an 87-52 win in the 2K Empire Classic.

Florida State, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Stanford, and Virginia Tech will all come to Cameron next year. Duke will travel for road games at Boston College, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisville, SMU, Syracuse, and Virginia next season.

Duke is 3-1 all-time against SMU in basketball. The Blue Devils’ road trip to SMU is only their second all-time, having played in Dallas on Dec. 8, 1977 – a game which Duke won by 24 points 91-67.

The ACC recently announced that, with the conference expanding to 18 members, only the top 15 teams in the conference will participate in the ACC Tournament next year, which is set to be played March 11-15 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The full schedule will be announced early this fall, equipped with specific game dates, times, and networks.

MBB Recap: Ducks squander first-half lead, go ice-cold in loss to Cal Golden Bears

The Oregon Ducks squandered a first-half lead and went ice-cold shooting in a tough loss on the road to the California Golden Bears.

Things started out well for the Oregon Ducks, with the offense clicking, and opportunistic play in the first half giving them a lead at the break. Things changed at halftime.

After the break, Oregon went ice-cold, and at one point they missed 12 straight shots and saw 10 minutes tick off the clock without a field goal being hit. During that time, Cal took the lead, built some separation, and was ultimately able to stave off a late-game comeback attempt from Dana Altman’s squad to get the win at home.

It was a brutal showing down the stretch for an Oregon team that was largely out of wiggle room coming into the game in terms of tournament hopes. Now, going into the month of March, they will need to win the Pac-12 tournament if they have any hopes of avoiding a third-straight NIT.

Here’s everything you need to know about the game.

ACC announces 15 teams will make men’s and women’s basketball tournament despite expansion

The ACC announced on Wednesday that the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will remain at 15 teams, despite the conference expanding to 18 teams.

The ACC announced on Wednesday that only 15 teams will play in the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments despite the conference’s expansion to 18 teams, starting in 2024-25.

The resolution came during the conference’s annual winter meetings, according to a release from the conference.

The ACC reiterated in the announcement that each team’s conference schedule will remain at 20 games for men and 18 for women.

The ACC is adding California, Stanford, and SMU next season to the conference’s current 15 teams.

The current format of the ACC basketball tournament gives the top four seeds a double-bye and the next five seeds a first-round bye, with the final six seeds playing in the opening round.

The conference also recently announced that Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina, will be the next two host cities for the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Poor rebounding by Trojans spoils Isaiah Collier’s return in gut-wrenching OT loss to Cal

Cal got too many extra possessions. That’s the story from Berkeley.

Porous rebounding by the USC Trojans and clutch shooting from the Cal Golden Bears ruined Isaiah Collier’s comeback effort in an 83-77 overtime loss in Berkeley. The Trojans are 0-3 in games decided by six points or fewer and 0-2 in overtime games this season.

Collier was back for the first time in six games after injuring his hand against Washington State on January 10. In his absence, the Trojans missed his ability to drive the ball, challenge defenses inside and get to the free throw line.

Scoreless at the half, Isaiah Collier scored 17 points in the second half to erase a 16-point USC deficit and take the game to overtime.

In front of an announced sold-out crowd at Haas Pavilion, Collier put the offense on his back down the stretch, drawing fouls almost every time he drove the lane. After missing his first two free throw attempts in the first half, he was 12-14 from the line after halftime.  Unfortunately, the rest of the team shot just 3 of 8 from the charity stripe on the night.

After the Oregon State game in which the Trojans were plus-20 on the glass, the Trojans thought they had solved the rebounding woes that plagued them during their six-game losing streak in January, but they were wrong. Cal outrebounded the Trojans 54-27.  USC’s defense held the Bears to just 25 points in the second half, but poor rebounding — Cal had a 19-5 offensive rebounding advantage — gave the Bears extra possessions. Fardaws Aimaq dominated inside with 20 rebounds and USC as a team had only 27.

Cal was led by Jaylon Tyson’s double-double. He scored 27 points, shot 4 of 5 beyond the arc, and added 11 rebounds. Tyson, Jalen Cone, and Jale Celestine shot 59% — 11 of 18 — from the 3-point line.  The Bears hit four contested treys with the shot clock winding down in the second half and overtime to neutralize the Trojans’ smothering defense in the paint — the last triple from Cone in OT was the dagger.

D.J. Rodman has scored 31 points over the last two games.  His 17 points off the bench were crucial as Boogie Ellis continues to struggle after returning from a hamstring injury. Rodman was 3 of 4 on 3-point attempts during the game, but he saw his last triple go halfway down and bounce out with the Trojans trailing by four late in overtime to seal the game for the Bears.

On Saturday, at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, USC will face the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion in an attempt to earn a split of the Bay Area road trip.

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Sooners land commitment from Washington transfer OL Geirean Hatchett

The Oklahoma Sooners added more offensive line depth through the transfer portal with the commitment of Washington OL Geirean Hatchett.

Oklahoma’s approach to the transfer portal has been to address needs and bolster depth under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. But they have never looked at and tried to build their entire roster via the transfer portal. This is why Venables is adamant about his recruiting efforts through the prep ranks.

However, after seeing the five guys who started along the offensive line and few depth options depart this offseason, Venables and his offensive line coach, [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag], knew they had work to do. That’s why the Sooners have brought in three transfer offensive line options this offseason. [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] came from Michigan State, [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] transferred from North Texas, and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] transferred in from USC.

That list just grew as the Sooners landed a talented interior offensive line transfer in Geirean Hatchett. Geirean is a junior offensive lineman transfer from the Sugar Bowl-winning and national champion runner-up, Washington Huskies. 

Geirean Hatchett has played over 25 games, including eight in 2023. In his fifth year, he still has room to add more strength and continue to develop. It’s likely that will be a point of emphasis this winter with head strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt. Geirean played well before an injury limited him in the second half of the season, posting some solid pass-blocking grades via Pro Football Focus. With time to heal, a return to his productive days before the mid-season injury seems likely.

Here’s what Roman Tomashoff, site editor for UWHuskies Wire, had to say about Geirean.

He’s a good run blocker but needs to continue to work in pass protection. He has all the tools to be a really good offensive lineman, but needs to get stronger as he gets beaten too often with power. He’s worked a lot at multiple positions but is best at guard. – Tomashoff, UWHuskies Wire

The Sooners are getting a talented football player who offers valuable snaps and experience to an offensive line room that lost the five guys who started for the majority of the year.

With another portal addition, the offensive line is retooled. The stage is now set for Bill Bedenbaugh to do what he does best: develop and get the most out of his offensive linemen.

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Sooners latest to offer the best 2025 prospect from state of Arizona

Oklahoma is still on the hunt for more wide receivers as they offered four-star wide receiver Cooper Perry out of Arizona.

Many members of Oklahoma’s 2024 class are in the building and starting their journeys as Oklahoma Sooners as we speak. That officially signals the end of recruiting for the 2024 class in Norman.

The page is officially turned, and now the class 2025 is top priority on the recruiting trail. Oklahoma has had a terrific start for 2025, third nationally, with nine commits already as things stand today.

The Sooners are looking to add to that tally, and they recently reached out to four-star wide receiver Cooper Perry out of Arizona this week. Perry is the 220th-ranked player on 247Sports’ player rankings, and most recruiting services consider him the number one prospect in the state for 2025.

Perry has decent size at 6-foot-1 and is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands, making multiple highlight plays after the catch. His high school team utilized him from the slot and outside, allowing him to develop into a versatile receiving threat. Arizona, Ole Miss, Oregon, and California are among the many schools that have offered Perry.

Cooper Perry’s Recruiting Profile

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Five keys to Colorado beating California on the road

What are your keys to Colorado getting back to its winning ways?

To end what has been a disappointing road trip that began with losses to then-No. 10 Arizona and Arizona State, the Colorado men’s basketball team will look to snag its first Pac-12 road win at Cal on Wednesday.

Cal, which also lost to Arizona and ASU, is coming off its first win of conference play, a 66-57 victory over UCLA. The Golden Bears are now 1-3 in the Pac-12 and 5-10 overall.

Entering Tristan da Silva’s second game back from injury, the 11-4 Buffs look to not only steal a win on the road but make a statement that they are still a top team in the Pac-12.

Tipoff on Wednesday night is set for 9 p.m. MT on ESPNU.

Here are five keys to the Buffs finishing their road trip strong:

California running back Jaydn Ott to return for 2024

Ott made a joke about entering the transfer portal on social media on Friday but quickly revealed his intention to stay.

California running back Jaydn Ott will return to the Golden Bears for the 2024 season, he announced on social media on Friday.

Ott initially started somberly into the camera and announced he would enter the transfer portal, but he revealed the joke and his intention to remain with the program just a few seconds later.

The California running back was named First-Team All-Pac 12 this past season after he led the conference with 1,260 rushing yards despite only playing in 11 games. He scored 11 touchdowns, second only to Washington’s Dillon Johnson in the conference, and he broke off five different 40-yard runs this season. Only six running backs in the nation had more.

Ott’s breakout game came against USC when he rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns in California’s near-upset. Ott rumbled for a 43-yard touchdown and a 61-yard touchdown in the first quarter alone.

The California running back ended the 2023 season with five 150-yard games in 11 appearances

Ott finished 13th in the country in rushing yards this season, and he was fifth among underclassmen. He’ll be one of the best backs in the country as the Golden Bears adjust to life in the ACC.

The sophomore is only 1,089 yards away from California’s career rushing yard, a program with names like Marshawn Lynch and Jahvid Best on the all-time list.

Cal quarterback Sam Jackson V enters transfer portal

The sophomore will transfer look for a third home after he spent 2020-21 with TCU and 2022 with the Golden Bears.

The 2024 quarterback transfer cycle added another Power 5 starter on Monday, with California quarterback Sam Jackson V entering his name in the portal according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.

Jackson started his career with the TCU Horned Frogs. He threw six passes across two seasons with the team, but he completed all of them for 125 yards.

The sophomore began the year as the Golden Bears’ starter, but he only appeared in California’s first five games. He completed 51 of 96 passes (53.1%) for 556 yards and five touchdowns, also throwing a pair of interceptions.

Jackson is also considered a dangerous dual-threat with his legs. He’s run for 138 yards and three touchdowns across his college career, including a 2022 season when he averaged 7.1 yards per carry with TCU.

The departure likely signifies that freshman Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who played the majority of California’s final seven games, has the lead in the quarterback room as the Golden Bears transition to the ACC for 2024.

Big 12 Bowl Projections: Sooners to face incoming and ascending Big 12 squad in Bowl Season

The Oklahoma Sooners will play a future Big 12 member in the latest Bowl Projections from USA TODAY Sports.

The regular season is over, and all that awaits before knowing OU’s bowl destination is championship weekend. The Oklahoma Sooners just missed out on the Big 12 title game. It’s the third season in a row that the Sooners won’t play for the conference title.

Things are improving at Oklahoma, but after running the Big 12 to the tune of 14 conference championships, it stings a bit not to be able to play for one more.

Still, 10-2 is better than 6-6. The Sooners are showing they’re a program on the right track as they get ready for the SEC. Recruiting is better on both sides of the ball and in 2023, we began to see glimpses of Brent Venables’ recruiting classes impacting the game.

In Oklahoma’s bowl game, we’ll likely get to see more of the youth the Sooners have added since Brent Venables’ arrival. Who will they play? Let’s take a look at the latest Big 12 Bowl Projections via USA TODAY Sports.