Cal Basketball: Where the Bears Reside Among The Nation's 11 Winless Teams
It’s Thanksgiving Day, so it only seems right that we offer something for which for long-suffering Cal basketball fans can be grateful.
How is that possible?
After all, the Bears are 0-5 heading to Florida this weekend, where they will face TCU in the opening round of the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday night. The Horned Frogs have played a less-than-daunting schedule but they are 3-1.
On Saturday, Cal will play either No. 25 Iowa (4-0) or Clemson (4-1).
Maybe the Bears can win one of those. If not, they return home 0-7.
*** Coach Mark Fox talks in the video above about his team's lack of confidence following a recent loss to Southern.
I know, you’re waiting for the good news.
OK, here you go:
There are 361 Division I men’s basketball teams, and Cal is among just 11 that are still winless three weeks into the season.
But . . . according to the respect Ken Pomeroy computer rankings, they are the second-best among those 11.
Topping that ignominious list is Louisville, which is 0-6. The Cardinals are ranked No. 171 by kenpom.com. Cal is No. 210.
Sitting below those two in the Pomeroy rankings are these nine squads:
235. Fairfield 0-4
264. Northeastern 0-4
286. Monmouth 0-5
303. Jackson State 0-4
337. Alabama A&M 0-5
340. Central Connecticut 0-6
347. South Carolina State 0-6
350. Alabama State 0-6
357. Green Bay 0-5
Not exactly the ’27 Yankees’ Murderer’s Row.
You’ll notice most of those teams are so-called mid-majors. Among the 76 schools in the nation’s top six conferences — the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC — there are 21 unbeaten teams and only four with losing records.
Cal’s first-ever 0-5 start, while disappointing, comes on the heels of five straight losing seasons, unprecedented in program history. The fact is, the Bears haven’t been a national player since the Pete Newell days more than 60 years ago.
Yes, freshman Jason Kidd got them to the Sweet 16 in 1993 and the Bears did it again four years later in Ben Braun’s debut season. But that was 26 years ago, and those were blips on the screen.
By comparison, Louisville has been a powerhouse program. Not Kentucky, not Kansas, not North Carolina or Duke.
But the Cardinals have played in 10 Final Fours — nine times since the last time Cal got there. They won national titles in 1980 and ’86, then had one in 2013 stripped away for NCAA violations.
This is unfolding as the worst season in their program’s history. Louisville suffered losses to Bellarmine, Wright State and Appalachian State to open the season, then trekked to the Maui Invitational this week where the competition level was ratcheted up considerably.
The Cardinals were demolished in all three games, losing to No. 9 Arkansas 80-54, No. 21 Texas Tech 70-38 (the fewest points Louisville has scored in a game since 1948) and 81-62 to Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Next up for Louisville: No. 23 Maryland (5-0) on Tuesday.
Cal’s road the next 11 days is not easy, either. After returning from Florida, the Bears jump into the deep end of the Pac-12 pool, playing next Wednesday at home vs. USC and a week from Sunday at No. 14 Arizona.
The Bears will have to wait until Dec. 7 for the next potential oasis on their schedule.
The opponent at Haas Pavilion that night is Eastern Washington, which made it to the NCAA tournament two years ago under the direction of ex-Cal guard Shantay Legans (now the coach at Portland) but is 1-4 this season and coming off a 26-point loss to Washington State.
If you're still hanging with this team, treat yourself to a second piece of pumpkin pie tonight.
Cover photo of Cal's Grant Newell by Al Sermeno, KLC fotos
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
