BERKELEY – California men's basketball will begin the Wyking Jones era with a competitive nonconference campaign that includes three exciting road trips and the opportunity to face up to four NCAA Tournament teams.
 
Cal's competitive nonconference campaign includes games against three 2017 NCAA Tournament teams in Saint Mary's, Wichita State and either Marquette or VCU, as well as potential matchups with Sweet 16 squad Michigan or second-round competitor Notre Dame in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The Golden Bears will also take two true road trips in the nonconference season – to San Diego State and Seattle.
 
"We're very excited for the opportunity for our young team to compete against some top-notch programs early on in preparation for a demanding Pac-12 schedule," Jones said. "Our staff and student-athletes have been working tirelessly to start off the new era of Cal basketball successfully, and we can't wait to showcase that to our fans."
 
Fans can get their first look at Cal's new style of play during the Monday, Nov. 6 exhibition game against Great Falls before the Bears officially tip off the season on Friday, Nov. 10 against UC Riverside. A Sunday, Nov. 12 tilt with Cal Poly caps off opening weekend. The Bears also host Wofford on Thursday, Nov. 16 before heading to the Hawaiian Islands for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center.
 
The Bears open the tournament against Wichita State on Monday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. PT/12 p.m. HT. A battle against one of two 2017 NCAA First Round opponents in Marquette and VCU awaits the Bears on the following day. One of four teams from the bottom half of the bracket -- Notre Dame, Chaminade, Michigan and LSU – will meet the Bears on the final day of competition on Wednesday, Nov. 22.
 
Cal returns to the Valley Isle for the first time since the 2013 EA Sports Maui Invitational. Assistant coach Theo Robertson was on staff during the Bears' 2013 run, and assistant coach Chris Walker played in the tournament in 1989 with Villanova and coached in the tournament in 2002 with UMass.
 
"We're playing basketball in a beautiful location while being able to test the team against some of the best programs in the country," Jones said.
 
"The Maui Invitational is widely regarded as the country's top preseason tournament and we're honored to be a part of it this year," he added.
 
The Bears return to Berkeley for a three-game homestand to usher in the month of December. Cal hosts CSU Northridge on Tuesday, Nov 28 before welcoming back Saint Mary's in a local fan favorite matchup on Saturday, Dec. 2.
 
"Any time you can play a crosstown rival is exciting for your fanbase and your community," Jones said. "We know we can expect both programs to represent each school's great basketball traditions fiercely."
 
Cal completes the homestand on Wednesday, Dec. 6 with Central Arkansas.
 
Saturday, Dec. 9 marks Cal's first true nonconference road contest since Virginia matchup in Dec. 2015, when the Bears head south to continue their series with San Diego State. The Aztecs own the edge in the latest iteration of the series, taking a 77-65 neutral-site win over the Bears at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center last November.
 
"I remember the atmosphere of Viejas Arena from my days in the Mountain West. It's going to be a lot of fun for our guys to play in a venue with lots of energy against a quality opponent," Jones said.
 
Cal returns home to host another Golden State opponent in CSU Fullerton on Saturday, Dec. 16, then jets to the Evergreen State to take on Seattle on Tuesday, Dec. 19. The nonconference campaign wraps up in Haas Pavilion on Thursday, Dec. 21 against Portland State.
 
Game times will be announced at a later date, once television agreements are finalized. Cal's conference weekend matchups were announced last month, while exact details of the Pac-12 schedule are expected to be announced in the coming months.
 
Season ticket deposits for the upcoming 2017-18 campaign are now being accepted. The $100 amount will be applied to the final cost of each ticket. Seat selection will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so an earlier deposit means an earlier slot to choose seats. For questions or more information on 2016-17 tickets, contact the Gold Standard service team at (800) GO BEARS (462-3277), press option 3.