Cal 2015-16 non-conference schedule features Louisville, Texas A&M and Nebraska
Three games against NCAA tournament teams and a rare non-league matchup with UCLA highlight Cal’s 2015-16 non-conference schedule.
“We have put together a non-conference schedule designed to challenge our team early in the year. We will face high-quality opponents on the road, in Haas Pavilion and on a neutral court,” said head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “We always want to test our program on a national platform, while also building qualities through tough competition that will help us compete for a Pac 12 title.”
Cal’s 11-game non-conference schedule includes matchups with Sweet 16 participant Louisville and NCAA tourney teams Texas A&M and Nebraska, a non-league contest against 2015 WNIT Champion UCLA and Cal’s second annual School Haas Rock event featuring UC Riverside.
The Bears play an exhibition game with Westmont on Sunday, Nov. 8 in Haas Pavilion before the regular season tips off on Friday, Nov. 13 in Tennessee, where the Golden Bears meet Austin Peay in Clarksville. The Bears continue heading north to face Louisville for the third consecutive season. The Bears take on the 2015 Sweet 16 participant Cardinals on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the KFC Yum! Center.
The newest Bear squad officially debuts at home in the newly renovated Haas Pavilion with the second annual School Haas Rock event against UC Riverside on Friday, Nov. 20. The event includes an educational assembly and special 11:30 a.m. tip-off time to invite students from around the community to cheer for the Bears.
“We consider Cal women’s basketball to be ‘the community’s team,’ and the young women in our program embrace the opportunity to inspire Bay Area youth,” Gottlieb said. “Our School Haas Rock game is a terrific chance for young students to experience the Berkeley campus, get some education tips and also see some exciting hoops action. It was definitely the loudest game last year, and I know this year’s atmosphere will exceed it.”
Cal continues the season-opening homestand against Cal Poly on Sunday, Nov. 22.
They travel to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving weekend when they join the Cal men’s basketball in Nevada. The women face Texas A&M (Friday, Nov. 27) and Liberty (Saturday, Nov. 28) in the South Point Shootout at South Point Arena, while the men will play in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational Nov. 26-27 at the Orleans Arena.
“We are looking forward to a trip to Vegas for Thanksgiving, and the opportunity to play two tough games in the desert. The most exciting aspect of the holiday weekend is that it’s a basketball feast for the Cal family,” Gottlieb said. “We are thrilled to be in the same city with Cuonzo and his guys. Fans can come to one location, eat some great food and see student-athletes from both Cal men’s and women’s basketball.”
The Bears return home to close out the non-conference season with a five-game homestand, starting with the Cal Classic featuring 2015 WNIT participants Saint Mary’s, Sacramento State and Villanova. The tournament begins with Cal vs. Saint Mary’s on Saturday, Dec. 5 before Cal faces Sacramento State or Villanova on Sunday, Dec. 6.
Cal’s Dec. 12 contest against NCAA Tournament first round competitor Nebraska marks the beginning of a home-and-home series that will see the Bears travel to Omaha, Neb. to face the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2016-17.
After a nine-day break, the Bears continue their campaign at home in Haas Pavilion on Monday, Dec. 21 against 2015 WNIT Champion and Pac-12 sister school UCLA in a rare non-league showdown that will not count towards both teams’ conference records.
Cal closes out the non-conference schedule against Cal State Northridge on Sunday, Dec. 30.
Dates are tentative and are subject to change. The 2015-16 Pac-12 schedule and television broadcast assignments will be released at a later date.
Nov. 8 – Exhibition: Westmont (Berkeley)
Nov. 13 – Austin Peay (Clarksville, Tenn.)
Nov. 15 – Louisville (Louisville, Ky.)
Nov. 20 – School Haas Rock: UC Riverside (Berkeley)
Nov. 22 – Cal Poly (Berkeley)
Nov. 27 –South Point Shootout: Texas A&M (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Nov. 28 – South Point Shootout: Liberty (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Dec. 5 – Cal Classic: Saint Mary’s (Berkeley)
Dec. 6 – Cal Classic: Sacramento State or Villanova (Berkeley)
Dec. 12 – Nebraska (Berkeley)
Dec. 21 – UCLA (Berkeley)
Dec. 30 – Cal State Northridge (Berkeley)
