Cal faces Stanford with share of title on the line

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Sundays game between Cal and Stanford with title implications will be televised on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area at 2:30 p.m.

BERKELEY -- The mood went from hopeful to resolute in Haas Pavilion on Saturday afternoon after learning that a win at Stanford on Sunday would net Cal a share of the inaugural Pac-12 regular season title.It feels good, senior forward Harper Kamp told CSNBayArea.com. Tomorrows game is very important to us to start with, but seeing the result of the UCLA-Washington game, it just means a little more to us.Cal (23-7, 13-4 Pac-12) entered Saturday a game behind Washington in the standings, but a resurgent UCLA squad upset the Huskies 75-69 in Los Angeles, resulting in a jubilant atmosphere among the players in the locker room.
I dont think theres much to say, Kamp added. I think everyone knows whats on the line. I think we play well with high energy. We got to come out with some fire and just be ready. To play on another teams home court is always hard, so we just got to come out with some energy.Two years ago, Cal celebrated their first conference championship since 1960 on the Maples Pavilion floor with a 71-61 victory. Now the Golden Bears have the opportunity to replicate the feat in the same hostile environment.I feel like everythings going our way right now, sophomore point guard Justin Cobbs said. Now its all in our hands, to take care of business Sunday against Stanford, and if we get that win, all our dreams come true with a Pac-12 championship, so Im excited.The Cardinal (19-10, 9-8), currently in seventh, would love nothing more than to spoil their archrivals dreams. Stanford is hoping to erase the memory of a heartbreaking one-point loss to Utah on the road last Saturday.In addition to a share of the title, Cal will be playing for the top seed in the upcoming Pac-12 Tournament, which takes place March 7-10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Bears have already clinched second place, but will clearly be aiming for more at Maples.