1958–59 California Golden Bears men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1958–59 California Golden Bears Basketball California Golden Bears logo 1905-78.png Pacific Coast Conference PCC 9 11 25–4 14–2 Pete Newell 5th Rene Herrerias Men's Gym NCAA tournament National championsPCC champions National Championship Game W Won 71–70 vs. West Virginia The 1958–59 California Golden Bears men's basketball team represented the University of California, Berkeley in NCAA University Division basketball competition. Led by fifth-year head coach Pete Newell, the Golden Bears won their only national championship. Season summary Cal was not a team that thrilled many people beyond its own fans. One writer described the Bears as "just a bunch of guys named Joe."February 2024 However, Cal was coached by one of the greats, Pete Newell, and his team-oriented, defensive style won the national championship as the Bears beat two teams in the Final Four that featured two of the best guards in history, Cincinnati (Oscar Robertson) and West Virginia (Jerry West). Roster 1958 California Golden Bears men's y Al Buch G 6 2 Sr North Hollywood, California C Bob Dalton 34 F 6 3 Sr San Leandro, California Dick Doughty 6 8 Jr Oakland, California Denny Fitzpatrick y G 6 0 Sr Costa Mesa, California Tandy Gillis F 6 6 Jr Long Beach, California Jack Grout 33 F 6 5 Sr Visalia, California Darrall Imhoff y 40 C 6 10 Jr Alhambra, California Jim Langley 6 3 Salinas, California Jerry Mann 6 2 San Francisco, California Bill McClintock y 42 F 6 4 So Milwaukee, Wisconsin Earl Shultz G 6 4 So South Gate, California Bernie Simpson 6 0 Omaha, Nebraska https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/california/1959.html 19 April 2018 Pete Newell (Loyola Marymount) Rene Herrerias (San Francisco) Schedule and results 1958–59 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1958 yes yes no |- !colspan=9 style=California Golden Bears| Regular Season December 3, 1958 yes 1958 men San Jose State Spartans San Jose State Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 60–36 1–0 December 6, 1958 yes 1958 men San Francisco Dons San Francisco Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 50–43 2–0 December 9, 1958 yes 1958 men Saint Mary's Gaels Saint Mary's 14 Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 57–55 3–0 December 12, 1958 yes Kansas State 3 Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 65–68 3–1 December 19, 1958 yes yes 15 1958 men Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa Iowa Field House Iowa City, IA 71–52 4–1 December 20, 1958 yes yes 15 Wisconsin Iowa Field HouseCal Throttles Badgers, 68-53; Huskies Win Los Angeles Times 21 December 1958 167395777 Iowa City, IA 68–53 5–1 December 23, 1958 yes yes 14 1958 men Saint Louis Billikens Saint Louis 16 Kiel Auditorium St. Louis, MO 43–55 5–2 December 27, 1958 14 1958 men Arizona Wildcats Arizona Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 90–46 6–2 January 2, 1959 yes 20 Washington Hec Edmundson Pavilion Seattle, WA 54–43 7–2 1–0 January 3, 1959 yes 20 1958 men Oregon Ducks Oregon McArthur Court Eugene, OR 57–59 7–3 1–1 January 9, 1959 Washington Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 55–44 8–3 2–1 January 10, 1959 Idaho Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 64–39 9–3 3–1 January 16, 1959 yes 20 1958 men Stanford Indians Stanford Stanford Pavilion Stanford, CA 53–56 9–4 3–2 January 17, 1959 Stanford Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 67–46 10–4 4–2 January 31, 1959 yes yes 20 1958 men Santa Clara Broncos Santa Clara San Jose Civic Auditorium San Jose, CA 66–55 11–4 February 6, 1959 yes 19 UCLA Pan-Pacific AuditoriumFlorence Mal Idaho Knocks Off Bruins; Bears Easily Defeat Troy: UCLA Upset, 91-87, in Spite of 38-Point Splurge by Torrence Los Angeles Times 8 February 1959 167429852 Los Angeles, CA 60–58 12–4 5–2 February 7, 1959 yes 19 1958 men USC Trojans USC Pan-Pacific Auditorium Los Angeles, CA 82–55 13–4 6–2 February 13, 1959 18 Oregon Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 83–55 14–4 7–2 February 14, 1959 18 UCLA Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 64–51 15–4 8–2 February 20, 1959 yes 15 Washington State Bohler Gymnasium Pullman, WA 61–37 16–4 9–2 February 21, 1959 yes 15 Idaho Memorial Gym Moscow 65–46 17–4 10–2 February 23, 1959 yes 15 1958 men Oregon State Beavers Oregon State Oregon State Coliseum Corvallis 57–40 18–4 11–2 February 27, 1959 12 USC Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 70–64 19–4 12–2 February 28, 1959 12 Washington State Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 65–45 20–4 13–2 March 7, 1959 11 Oregon State Men's Gym Berkeley, CA 55–52 21–4 14–2 |- !colspan=9 style=California Golden Bears| NCAA Tournament March 13, 1959 yes yes 11 1958 men Utah Utes Utah 18 Cow Palace Daly City, CA West Regional semifinals 71–53 22–4 March 14, 1959 yes yes 11 Saint Mary's 15 Cow Palace Daly City West Regional Finals 66–46 23–4 March 20, 1959 yes yes 11 Cincinnati 5 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY National semifinals 64–58 18,619 24–4 March 21, 1959 yes yes 11 West Virginia 10 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY National Championship 71–70 18,498 25–4 Pacific Time AP Poll California History Cal Athletics 141 2003-04 http://calbears.com/sports/2016/6/28/2003-04-mens-basketball-media-guide.aspx?id=19697 19 April 2018 Rankings 1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings *ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 670–671 2009 978-0-345-51392-2https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/seasons/1959-polls.html 1958-59 College Basketball Polls Sports Reference December 29, 2021 NBA draft Two Golden Bears were selected in the next two NBA drafts. Year Round Pick Player NBA club 1959 6 45 Bob Dalton Syracuse Nationals 1960 1 3 Darrall Imhoff New York Knicks Source:http://www.databasebasketball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1959&lg=N 1959 NBA Draft on Basketballreference.com 2009-05-04 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20100318005639/http://www.databasebasketball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1959&lg=N 2010-03-18 References California Golden Bears Category:California Golden Bears men's basketball seasons Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament championship seasons Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four seasons California California Golden Bears Basketball California Golden Bears Basketball