BERKELEY – Eleven home contests at Haas Pavilion and marquee road/neutral site matchups with Kansas State and UCLA highlight the Golden Bears’ 2025-26 nonconference slate, announced today by the California men’s basketball program. The Bears’ schedule features the return of former Pac-12 foe Utah while adding four new opponents in out-of-league competition.
The third year of the Mark Madsen era will tip off Nov. 3 against CSU Bakersfield, the first of three consecutive home contests to open the season. Cal defeated CSU Bakersfield, 86-73, in its season opener last November. The Bears will host Wright State later that same week on Nov. 6 in the first meeting between the two programs, before welcoming CSU Fullerton to Berkeley for the first time since Dec. 16, 2017, when the Bears notched a 95-89 overtime win in their only clash on the hardwood with the Titans.
The Bears will head to Kansas State on Nov. 13 for their only true road contest of the nonconference slate. The Wildcats hold a 4-1 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1958. Cal and KSU last met in November 2022 in Haas Pavilion when the Bears battled back from a 15-point halftime deficit before ultimately falling to the Wildcats, 63-54.
Cal will return to the Bay for a three-game lineup as part of the previously announced 2025 Empire Classic benefitting Wounded Warrior Project, Gazelle Group. The Bears will host Presbyterian (Nov. 18) and Sacramento State (Nov. 21) as part of the multi-team event before clashing with UCLA in a neutral site matchup at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Nov. 25.
The second half of the Bears’ nonconference schedule will include a six-game homestand, beginning with a game against Utah on Dec. 2. This will be the 28th meeting between the two programs on the hardwood, with the Utes holding a five-win advantage in the all-time series record.
Cal will welcome back Northwestern State (Dec. 13) for the second consecutive year and face a pair of new opponents in Dominican University of California (Dec. 9) and Morgan State (Dec. 19). Cal will wrap up nonconference competition Dec. 21 when Columbia makes the trip to the west coast for the Lions’ third meeting with the Bears and first since 2003.
Game times and television/streaming designations for Cal's 2025-26 nonconference slate will be announced at later dates.
Season tickets for the 2025-26 campaign can be purchased by visiting CalBears.com/Tickets, calling 800-GO-BEARS (462-3277) or emailing goldstandard@berkeley.edu.
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