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Pac-12 Preview: Will 7 teams make the NCAA tournament again?

By Ben Dull

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 15: Oregon Ducks guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) looks to pass the ball with UCLA Bruins guard Jordin Canada (3) defending during the game between the Oregon Ducks and the UCLA Bruins on January 15, 2017, at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 15: Oregon Ducks guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) looks to pass the ball with UCLA Bruins guard Jordin Canada (3) defending during the game between the Oregon Ducks and the UCLA Bruins on January 15, 2017, at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – MARCH 02: California Bears forward Kristine Anigwe (Photo by Aric Becker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – MARCH 02: California Bears forward Kristine Anigwe (Photo by Aric Becker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

California Golden Bears

This season will be the seventh for the Golden Bears under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. The Golden Bears made it to the round of 32 in last season’s NCAA tournament. Cal returns one of the top players in the conference along with four other players that started at least 13 games last season. Notable victories last season included a win at home over UCLA and a win at Oregon in late February.

More on the Golden Bears:

Numbers & notes

20-14 overall in ’16-’17, 6-12 (T-7th) in Pac-12, eliminated in Round of 32 by Baylor

Nine of Cal’s ten scholarship players are back from last season’s team.

Just two of those returners are seniors.

Kristine Anigwe was named to the media’s preseason All-Pac-12 team (the only unanimous selection).

Gottlieb gave birth to her first child back in May. Jordan isn’t the only little one in Berkeley this season. 

Cal was picked to finish fifth in the preseason Pac-12 media and coaches polls.

Cal was ranked 20th in the country in the AP’s preseason Top 25 poll.

Gottlieb and several other college coaches spoke with The Summitt’s Blake DuDonis for a recent feature:

Departures

Courtney Range — 8.8 PPG, 4.9. RPG, 2.0 APG, 40 3PM, played in all 34 games (30 starts)

KC Waters

Returners

Kristine Anigwe, F (Jr) — 21.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 56.6 FG%, 7.5 FTA per game, 2.1 BPG, started all 34 games, ’16-’17 All-Pac-12 (2nd time), ’16-’17 Pac-12 All-Defense

Mikayla Cowling, G (Sr) — 8.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 34.7 MPG (led team), started all 34 games, ’16-’17 All-Pac-12 honorable mention

Asha Thomas, G (Jr) — 8.9 PPG, 3.3 APG, 63 3PM, 38.2 3PT%, started all 34 games

Penina Davidson, F (Sr) — 6.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 22.8 MPG, started 25 games

Mi’Cole Cayton, G (So) — 5.6 PPG, 24.4 MPG, started 13 games

Jaelyn Brown, G (So) — 4.8 PPG, 16.6 MPG, played in all 34 games

CJ West (F, So, 8.4 MPG, played in 33 games), Chen Yue (C, Jr) and Mo Mosley (G, Jr) also return for the Golden Bears.

“I now have older players who I can look at in practice and say, ‘This isn’t good enough,’ and they’re able to get better within the course of a practice,” Gottlieb said at Pac-12 media day. “I don’t think we need to lose two or three games in a row to say we can be better. I think they’re able to self- assess in the moment, and that’s maturity.”

Gottlieb specifically had high praise for Anigwe and Thomas. “Personally for me they’ve been through so much with us, and they’ve turned into not just great talents, but really unbelievable leaders. To see them as upperclassmen showing our youngsters what Cal basketball’s about, their goal is to lead us back to the top. I have a lot of confidence in them.”

Fresh faces

Alaysia Styles, G (played in trials for 2016 USA Basketball U17 World Championship team, All-CIF San Diego selection)

Kianna Smith, G (McDonalds All-American, First-team All-CIF, All-State and All-Orange County)

Archer Olson, G (Junior of the Year and Senior of the Year in SCVAL-De Anza division)

Sara Anastasieska, G (RS sophomore transfer from UTSA, sat out the ’16-’17 season)

“I think since the last several years this is our best combination of veteran talent and leadership with youth that’s ready to contribute. Freshmen and sophomores that can play, but they have juniors and seniors to show them the way,” Gottlieb said.

5 games to watch

November 17 @ Connecticut, 4:00 PM PST (SNY/ESPN 3)

December 31 v. UCLA, 11:00 AM PST (Pac-12 Networks)

February 2 @ Oregon, 8:00 PM PST (Pac-12 Networks)

February 15 @ Stanford, 7:00 PM PST (Pac-12 Networks)

February 17 v. Stanford, 2:30 PM PST (Pac-12 Networks)

Some fans prefer the occasional schedule deep cut, but an early date with Connecticut will be exciting for a team returning an elite talent with multiple experienced players around her. Last season, Cal played UCLA just once. This year they’ll look to split or sweep the Bruins; an 11:00 AM tip on New Year’s Eve should be relatively easy for any basketball fan to fit into the schedule. A February run through Oregon starts with a Friday matchup with the Ducks. Then Cal will get the opportunity to test itself twice against Stanford in the days leading up to postseason play.

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