Cal clamps down early, pulls away late in 74–56 win over Columbia at Haas
Cal didn’t need a hot shooting half to take control Sunday afternoon at Haas Pavilion.
The Golden Bears scored just 26 points before the break — the kind of number that keeps a game fragile. But Cal’s defense never let Columbia breathe, and the result was an unusual halftime reality: a 12-point lead built entirely on pressure, discipline, and rebounding.
From the Stands to the Sidelines: Michael Cooley’s Lifelong Cal Journey
By the time most kids were choosing an NFL team, Michael Cooley was already climbing Memorial Stadium’s concrete steps with his dad, convinced his blood ran blue and gold.
The third-year outside linebacker for the California Golden Bears grew up across the Bay, the son of a Cal alum who made sure Berkeley football was a family ritual. Saturdays meant driving over to Memorial Stadium, joining thousands of fans in the concrete bowl, and watching names like Jahvid Best, DeSean Jackson, and Jared Goff turn the field into a stage.
