California Golden Bears

Team Summary

The Golden Bears have been around for 113 seasons to date and have seen a lot of key players go through the program. They have been one of the better programs in history with a lot of games under their belt and a slew of important coaches. Continue for more California Golden Bears Stats.

They have won 14 conference championships, 19 trips to the NCAA Tournament, and one National Championship in the history of the program. There are a lot of things to dive into so let’s dive into the California Golden Bears and the history of the program.

Golden Bears Standings

Though “Golden Bears” can refer to multiple college basketball teams, the most storied of the bunch likely hails from the University of California, Berkeley. Tracing their roots back to 1901, the Cal Bears boast a rich history filled with conference dominance, thrilling upsets, and iconic players.

Early success came in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), where the Bears claimed 15 titles between 1920 and 1959. Led by legends like Pete Newell and Bill Walton, Cal reached the NCAA championship game twice, narrowly falling in 1959 and 1960. The Pac-12 era brought continued conference crowns, with 12 titles since 1979.

Beyond titles, the Golden Bears built a reputation for thrilling moments. Walton’s iconic skyhook shot and the “Give me the damn ball” moment cemented their place in basketball lore. Upsets over powerhouses like Duke and Kentucky added to the mystique.

While recent years have seen fewer championships, the Bears remain a formidable force. Their passionate fanbase and vibrant history ensure they’ll continue to be a force to be reckoned with on the hardwood, forever etching their name in college basketball’s tapestry.

California Golden Bears Betting Trends

The California Golden Bears, despite not having recent championship glory, hold a fascinating place in college basketball betting history. Known for their “David vs. Goliath” upsets and thrilling finishes, their past paints a picture of inconsistency and hidden potential.

Historically, the Golden Bears excelled in the 1940s and 50s, reaching five Final Fours and even claiming a National Championship in 1959. This era saw them develop a reputation for exceeding expectations, often surprising bettors with unexpected wins. In recent decades, however, their performance has been volatile, oscillating between flashes of brilliance and stretches of inconsistency.

Despite the ups and downs, the Golden Bears have maintained a loyal following among bettors drawn to their potential for upsets and exciting close games. They’ve shown flashes of dominance recently, like their 2020 run to the NCAA Tournament, hinting at a potential return to glory. Whether they consistently translate that potential into wins remains to be seen, but their historical journey ensures they’ll continue to be a captivating proposition for college basketball bettors seeking an underdog with a winning pedigree.

While lacking sustained dominance, the Golden Bears offer a unique betting experience, blending historical peaks with modern inconsistency. Their potential for both upsets and close finishes makes them a team to watch for bettors seeking excitement and a chance to buck the odds.

California Golden Bears Team History

The California Golden Bears have been playing well throughout their history as the program began in the 1907 season but were independents until the 1915 season when they joined the Pacific Coast Conference. They stayed members of the conference until the 1958-59 season when they won the National Championship and after that, they joined the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU).

They were in the conference for less than a decade as they were part of the AAWU until the 1968-69 regular season when they joined the Pac-8 Conference (which later became the Pac-10 and now the Pac-12 Conference). They have been members of the conference ever since and helped them remain a solid program with an overall record of 1653-1228 (.574 winning percentage).

California Golden Bears Stats

California has been a mediocre team during the 2022 season so far as they are ninth in the Pac-12 Conference with a 9-8 (2-4) record as of this writing. However, their issues lie on the offensive side of the ball as they are averaging just 65.1 points per game and that is 354th in the country. The Golden Bears are also 384th in the United States as they are averaging a total of 11 assists per game so they are not doing well offensively. Defensively is a bit of a different story as they are allowing 62.6 points per game but are averaging just 4.8 steals and 2.5 blocks per game.

They are being led this season by senior forward Andre Kelly as he is second in the conference in rebounding and fourth in field goal percentage. On the season, Kelly is averaging 14.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 blocks, and 0.5 steals in 31.1 minutes per game. His shooting has been incredible as he is 60.5 percent from the floor, 50 percent from the three-point line, and 70.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Championships

The Golden Bears have been able to win a bunch of conference championships as in their 113 seasons, they have recorded 14 conference titles. They won their first conference title in the 1915-16 season as they were co-champions with the Oregon State Beavers. Their first conference championship they won by themselves in the 1923-1924 season.

California has been able to win a singular National Championship as they defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers in the 1959 NCAA Tournament to claim their only National Championship to date.

Important Team Events

The biggest game in the history of the California Golden Bears occurred on March 21, 1959, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky for the National Championship. The Golden Bears faced off against the West Virginia Mountaineers and it was a close battle as California took a 39-33 lead into halftime.

The combination of Jerry West and Willie Akers battled back for the Mountaineers but the final score was 71-70 in favor of the Golden Bears. Danny Fitzpatrick led California by going 8-of-13 from the floor for 20 points with a pair of rebounds. Bill McClintock finished with eight points and 10 rebounds and that helped put the California Golden Bears basketball program on the map.  Here’s everything you need to know about March Madness start.

Top Players

One of the top players to ever step foot into the program was Jason Kidd. He was only with the Golden Bears for two seasons (1992-93 and 1993-94) but had an immediate impact as the Pac-10 Rookie of the Year and a consensus All-American. In his collegiate career, he averaged 14.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 3.5 steals per game. He still holds the program’s records in assists per game in a season (9.1) and steals per game (3.8).

Another critical member of the California Golden Bears was guard Jerome Randle, who played all four years with the program from the 2006-07 season until 2009-10. Randle has the all-time lead in points for a career with 1,835 and a true shooting percentage of .602. He had to deal with two different coaching staffs during his playing career with the Golden Bears but it did not hurt him as they were more successful in his junior and senior seasons. In his 132 games with Cal, he averaged 13.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and four assists as a 5 foot 10-inch guard.

Top Coaches

There have been a total of 18 coaches throughout the history of the California Golden Bears but none had the longevity of Nibs Price. Price was the head coach of the program from 1925-1954 and in those 30 years, he had a record of 453-294 (.606 winning percentage). He was the man in charge when the program made their first NCAA Tournament in the 1945 season, where they lost in the Final Four. He brought the team to that level but wasn’t able to get back to the tournament throughout his tenure with the program.

Pete Newell was only the head coach of California for six years, but he had a definite winning impact on the program. In his Golden Bears career, he went 119-44 and brought home four conference championships, four NCAA Tournament appearances, two Final Four seasons, and a National Championship in 1959. The team made it back to the National Title Game in 1960 but failed to go back-to-back and never got to the top-ranked team in the nation in his time as a coach.

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