Bear Territory Thursday: Cal stuns #23 Syracuse in the Garden

     Thursday night was Cal's first real test of their young season after two cupcake games against Kennesaw State and Alcorn State, both which resulted in easy Cal victories. The opponent was #23 ranked Syracuse and the setting was Madison Square Garden, which for Syracuse is sort of a home away from home. Madison Square Garden was overwhelmingly filled with support for Syracuse, and yet Cal was unfazed by the sea of Orange.
   
     The key to Cal's success was pushing the tempo, knocking down open threes, and moving the ball. The Golden Bears did not have a passive approach to the famous 2-3 zone of Syracuse. They instead attacked it relentlessly and sought for every opportunity to push the ball for easy baskets in transition. By doing just this, Cal was able to set themselves up for some easy looks, knocking down 8-19 shots from 3-point range while also totaling 20 assists.
   
      The most amazing part about this game was that Syracuse never really threatened to win. Once Cal had the 34-22 halftime lead, they pretty much coasted the rest of the way for the victory. Every now and then Syracuse made a play that kept them alive, but never enough to actually get one to think they had a shot at coming back. This I think is largely due to Cal sticking to their game plan and not slowing down or playing conservatively.
   
     As a matter of fact, sometimes Cal pushed the tempo when it actually would have been better to slow things down once the game was well in hand. But all the same, they stuck to their game plan of pushing the tempo, and it paid off handsomely in the end, resulting in a 73-59 victory over the Orangemen. Jordan Mathews ended up being the guy who benefited the most from this high tempo style of play, finishing with 22 points on 6-12 shooting from the field and 8-10 shooting from the foul line.
   

                             (via Cal Bears.com---Courtesy: Mollie McClure/McClure Photography)  
   
     On Friday, Cal will face another tough opponent in Texas who is coming off a win against Iowa. Cal will certainly need to once again bring their "A-game" if they are going to win. But whether or not they win that game, they already can feel really good about what kind of team they have going forward.  Especially since they are only going to get better. Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Thursday: A look ahead at Cal's schedule

                                           (credit: calbears.com)

     This week I thought it would be fun to look ahead at Cal's schedule and identify some key games to look for in the season. So what I'll do is list five games that should be of interest on the schedule. Enjoy!

1. 2K Classic vs. Syracuse in New York, NY (Nov. 20):  This will be a fun game to watch since Syracuse has such a quality basketball program and Cal has a recent history with them. Cal faced Syracuse last year  in Hawaii and the year before that, they got bounced by Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament. Cal is becoming more familiar with Syracuse and their unique 2-3 zone defensive scheme, which means that perhaps the third time is the charm. Plus, in the most recent USA Today coaches poll, Syracuse came in ranked at #24. Cal will get to face one of the best teams in the country early on, which could serve them well later in the season.

2. Cal vs. Wisconsin in Berkeley, CA (December 22): Further up the rankings in the USA Today coaches poll is Wisconsin, who right now are ranked #4 in the country. This is a game that Cal players have circled on their calendars. Wisconsin was a Final Four team last season, and they once again are expected to be really good. I was present at the Cal-Arizona game last season and I must say it was pandemonium at Haas Pavilion. I expect a similarly electric atmosphere in Berkeley when the Badgers come to town. This one will be fun.

3. Cal vs. Stanford (January 14) and Cal @Stanford (February 21): 

I'm pairing these two games together since both games against Stanford are always crazy. Each team won on the other team's floor last season and I'm sure both teams will be eager to get the sweep and certainly hold home court. These rivalry games always have a special buzz to them and it'll be interesting to see how this relatively young Cal team does after already having faced Wisconsin. Plus, Stanford is a team on the edge of being ranked at the moment. Odds are good they are a top 25 team by the time Cal faces them.

4. Cal @ Utah (February 15):  Like Stanford, Utah is a team that is on the cusp of being in the top 25 and likely will be in the top 25 at some point in the season. Utah beat Cal in Berkeley last season and now Cal will have a chance to return the favor. It will be tough for Cal since Utah plays at high elevation and is expected to be really good. If Cal can win in Utah on the road, this would be a huge boost to their tournament resume.

5. Cal vs. Arizona (January 24):  After losing at Haas Pavilion, it will be interesting to see how Arizona responds in their return to the place where Justin Cobbs hit perhaps the greatest shot in the history of Cal Basketball. Arizona is ranked #2 at the moment and once again is expected to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. Will Deja vu happen again at Haas or will the Wildcats get revenge?

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord