Cal, UCLA set to face in Empire Classic on Nov. 25
Former Pac-12 foes Cal and UCLA will link up in the Empire Classic on Nov. 25. The event announced the showcase game matchup on Wednesday. The Bears will also take on Presbyterian and Sacramento State as part of the multi-team event.
The Bears’ contest against the Bruins will take place at Chase Center in San Francisco. Mark Madsen‘s team will host the other two games at Haas Pavilion.
“We’re thrilled to renew the Cal-UCLA rivalry on such a big stage as part of the Empire Classic,” Madsen said in a statement provided by the program. “Anytime you have these two schools and programs meet, it brings great energy – and to do it in Chase Center, right here in the Bay Area, makes it even more special.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for our teams and fans, and we’re excited to represent Cal in one of the NBA’s premier venues.”
First meeting since the Pac-12 disbanded
The Nov. 25 matchup will mark the first meeting between the two in-state rivals since the Pac-12 dissolved in 2024. Cal and UCLA split their last two meetings as members of the same conference.
The Bears earned a 66-57 victory at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 6, 2024 to mark their first win at UCLA since 2010. The Bruins edged Cal by one point in a Feb. 10 meeting in Berkeley. Madsen’s team erased what had been a 14-point deficit but pulled up short.
Changes for both teams heading into 2025-26 season
As you would expect, both Cal and UCLA will look different than when they last met. Roster movement is commonplace in 2025, and both teams have regrouped this offseason. Cal went 14-19 in its second season under Madsen. The Bears reached the second round of the ACC Tournament.
Meanwhile, Mick Cronin‘s UCLA squad bowed out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a 67-58 loss to Tennessee.
Cal had to reshape its roster this offseason after losing both star players, Andrej Stojakovic and Jeremiah Wilkinson. The Bears added nine transfers in the offseason including Syracuse guard Chris Bell and Michigan’s Justin Pippen.
The Bruins lost big man Aday Mara to Michigan but added top transfer guard Donovan Dent from New Mexico among other moves.
Other matchups in the Empire Classic
The games against Presbyterian and Sacramento State will take place on Nov. 18 and Nov. 21, respectively.
Cal owns a 3-0 record against the Hornets including an 83-77 win last season. Meanwhile, the Bears have never played Presbyterian in men’s basketball. Sacramento State, which will move into the Big West in 2026, finished the season with a 7-25 record.
Presbyterian reached the College Basketball Invitational after a 14-17 regular season. The Blue Hose squared off with ACC teams NC State and Miami last year.
The Empire Classic is now in its 31st year and benefits The Wounded Warrior Project.
