Will California Men’s Basketball Make the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

California center Milos Ilic (8) and Virginia center Johann Gruenloh (17) battle for rebound during an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Charlottesville, Va.
(AP Photo/Robert Simmons)
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The California Golden Bears haven’t made the NCAA Tournament in a decade. 

They’re pushing for a berth this year with good stretch wins against Miami, Stanford, and SMU, but there’s still a lot of bubble traffic in front of them.

Cal NCAA Tournament Resume

Cal NCAA Tournament Prediction

I am predicting Cal will miss the NCAA Tournament this year.

Cal scheduled three power teams in nonconference play and mostly played low-major programs afterward. Two of the power schools turned out to be really bad. 

That’s not Cal’s fault, but it did leave less margin for error in conference play. Pending a huge run in the ACC Tournament next week, the committee is unlikely to give a .500 ACC team like Cal an at-large berth.

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About the Author Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.