Oct 31, 2009 | Medford Mail Tribune
Cal Bears picked to win Pac-10 hoops title
California was picked on Thursday to win the Pac-10 basketball title, marking the first time in more than 10 years that UCLA or Arizona wasn't the top choice.
Time to prove the optimists are right
So who better to quote than the former NBA icon when it comes to the pile of positive predictions dumped on the Cal basketball team's shoulders Thursday.
Pac-10 men's basketball: Cal picked first; Stanford last
Cal basketball's national profile took a leap Thursday when the Golden Bears were picked as the favorite to win the Pac-10 Conference and landed the No.
Preseason Countdown: No. 10 California
Coach: Mike Montgomery . Last season's record: 22-11 overall, 11-7 in Pac-10 . Postseason: Lost in first round of NCAA tournament to Maryland.
Jerome Randle: 'I'm just expecting big things out of everybody'
Cal point guard Jerome Randle emerged as one of the top players west of the Mississippi River last season, exceeding just about every expectation with his average of 18.3 points and 5.0 assists per game as a junior.
Seth Davis: For Cal, anything more than a Sweet 16 appearance would be a sweet surprise
California coach Mike Montgomery stood on the court at Hass Pavilion on Saturday afternoon and patiently walked his players through an offensive set.
Cal joins Washington as Pac-10 favorites
The Bears return four starters, including three - guards Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher and forward Theo Robertson - who combined to average nearly 46 points per game.
California Strategy and Personnel
SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Coach Mike Montgomery brought in three newcomers, including 6-8, 280-pound junior C Markhuri Sanders-Frison, a junior college transfer.
Fifty seasons removed from their most recent conference title, the Golden Bears know that winning this year's Pac-10 crown is within their grasp.
It's only practice, but climb begins
College basketball practice begins across the country today, and that prompts questions.
Touted Cal men's basketball team healthy, hungry
The real work begins Friday when practice starts, but Cal basketball coach Mike Montgomery is satisfied that the Golden Bears got a running start with a productive summer.
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