Cal fires Mark Fox after Golden Bears end with worst document at school historical past in his fourth season

California athletic director Jim Knowlton has fired males’s basketball coach Mark Fox, sources advised CBS Sports activities. 

The choice was made following Cal’s 69-52 loss to Washington State Wednesday within the first spherical of the Pac-12 Match, a defeat that ended the Bears’ dreadful season at 3-29. It is the fewest wins (in a season of three or extra video games) and worst profitable share for Cal’s males’s basketball program in its 114-year historical past. 

The Golden Bears ranked proper alongside Louisville (4-28) because the worst high-major applications within the sport in 2022-23. In contrast to California, Louisville simply completed its first season underneath a brand new coach.

Fox was introduced on in 2019 to switch Wyking Jones, who went 16-47 in two seasons. Fox leaves California in no stronger place, having gone 38-89 general and 17-61 in Pac-12 play. This system has been mired in irrelevancy for greater than half a decade. Cal final made the NCAA Match in 2016 underneath Cuonzo Martin. It final received a event recreation in 2013 underneath Mike Montgomery, and final received a convention title in 2010 with him as properly. It final made the Candy 16 in 1997 underneath Ben Braun. 

The Golden Bears have fallen behind within the age of NIL and hyperactivity within the switch portal. This system misplaced just a few key gamers to switch previously couple of years. This season’s crew was besieged by accidents. The Golden Bears took house losses in November to the likes of UC Davis, Southern and Texas State. It additionally fell on the highway in opposition to UC San Diego, a college in its third season of Division I, and dropped a house recreation to Japanese Washington. 

Fox previously coached at Georgia and Nevada, the place he made 5 NCAA Match appearances at these two locations between 2004-18. His profession document is 324-263. His contract stipulates he’ll be paid by the 2024-25 season.