Cal Bears Face Saint Joseph's Hawks in NIT Second Round

Second-seeded Cal looks to continue its postseason momentum against the surprise Atlantic-10 third-place finishers

Mar. 22, 2026 at 5:18am

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After earning its first postseason win since 2014, the second-seeded Cal Bears will host the Saint Joseph's Hawks in the second round of the NIT's Albuquerque Region on Sunday night. Cal, led by third-team All-ACC selection Dai Dai Ames, rallied from an early deficit to defeat UIC 91-73 in the first round, with Chris Bell scoring a season-high 31 points. Meanwhile, the Hawks were one of the biggest surprises in the Atlantic-10 this season under first-year head coach Steve Donahue, finishing third in the conference and earning a road win over Colorado State in the NIT opener.

Why it matters

This matchup features two teams looking to build momentum heading into next season. For Cal, a deep NIT run would provide a positive ending to an otherwise disappointing season that saw them finish ninth in the ACC. For Saint Joseph's, the program is aiming to continue its resurgence under Donahue and prove it can compete with high-major programs like Cal.

The details

Cal won 12 of its first 13 games this season but struggled in ACC play, finishing ninth in the conference. The Bears are led by Dai Dai Ames, who averaged 17.0 points per game and earned third-team All-ACC honors. In the first-round win over UIC, Chris Bell exploded for 31 points, including 7-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. Saint Joseph's, meanwhile, was one of the surprise teams in the Atlantic-10 this season, finishing third in the conference under first-year head coach Steve Donahue. The Hawks earned a road win over Colorado State in the NIT opener, their first postseason victory since 2006.

  • Cal and Saint Joseph's will face off on Sunday, March 23, 2026 in Berkeley, California.
  • Cal earned its first postseason win since 2014 by defeating UIC 91-73 on Wednesday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Dai Dai Ames

A third-team All-ACC selection who led Cal with 17.0 points per game this season.

Chris Bell

The star of Cal's first-round NIT win, scoring a season-high 31 points and making 7-of-8 3-pointers.

Steve Donahue

The first-year head coach of Saint Joseph's, who was named the 2025-26 Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year after leading the Hawks to a surprising third-place finish in the conference.

Jaiden Glover-Toscano

One of two Saint Joseph's players averaging 15.8 points per game this season, along with Deuce Jones.

Deuce Jones

The other Saint Joseph's player averaging 15.8 points per game this season, alongside Jaiden Glover-Toscano.

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What they’re saying

“Someone told me that it had been (over) a decade (since) Cal had had a postseason win, so that's good to see.”

— Mark Madsen, Cal Head Coach

“We wanted to be in the NCAA Tournament. We did not play well enough in the course of the season to get in, but I believe that we can do something special in the NIT and it will be a springboard and a catalyst going into next season.”

— Mark Madsen, Cal Head Coach

“Dagger shots when they counted. ... Chris is a special player. He's a special person. His work ethic reminds me of the work ethic of an NBA player.”

— Mark Madsen, Cal Head Coach

“This group just has that understanding of not quitting, particularly on the defensive end. If we make some really bonehead plays, which we did on the offensive end, our ability to stay focused and compete is why we can figure out how to win those one-possession games. It's all our mental toughness, really.”

— Steve Donahue, Saint Joseph's Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of the Cal-Saint Joseph's matchup will advance to the quarterfinals of the NIT's Albuquerque Region.

The takeaway

This second-round NIT clash features two teams looking to build momentum heading into next season. For Cal, a deep tournament run would provide a positive ending to an otherwise disappointing year, while Saint Joseph's is aiming to prove its Atlantic-10 success was no fluke by knocking off a high-major opponent.