Part of Cal's early success has come from the perimeter. The Golden Bears enter the 2025 portion of the season shooting 37.7% from 3-point range, tied for 17th-best nationally. Three of Smith's starters are shooting 40% or better from the perimeter.

A win would have given Cal (13-2, 1-1 ACC) its best start to a season in program history, but a poor stretch in the second half prevented the Bears from getting close to that goal

The women's basketball remained in Los Angeles to play another top-four Big Ten team, the No. 4 USC Trojans. Once again, the Huskers stuck with their opponent for the first half of play but failed to keep up in the second,