by Marlen Garcia , USA TODAY

"Coaching really plays a big part in the way players change," Randle said Monday. "I know the players are the ones out there, but you need some type of direction. He's giving us great direction."

Winning over the 5-10 point guard has been a big boost for Cal, a new arrival in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll. The No. 23 Golden Bears are ranked for the first time since March 2003.

At 15-2 and winner of nine in a row, Cal has its best start since 1959-60, the late Pete Newell's last season as coach. The Golden Bears are atop the Pacific-10 Conference at 4-0, including wins against Arizona and No. 15 Arizona State. They beat Washington 88-85 in triple overtime Saturday.

Cal, 17-16 last season, was picked eighth in the Pac - 10 preseason sports media poll.

"The whole thing right now is the confidence the coach is giving the whole team," said Randle, second in the Pac - 10 with a 19.1-point average.

Saturday, Cal visits rival Stanford, home to Montgomery for 18 seasons before he left in 2004 to coach the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He led Stanford to the Final Four in 1998.

If Montgomery has mixed feelings about returning, he isn't showing it. "Coach is real laid-back about situations," Randle said. "He never really trips about that or talks about it much."

Montgomery was not available for comment Monday.

Randle and 6-5 junior Patrick Christopher, the team's No. 2 scorer at 16.1 a game, said players bought in to Montgomery's emphasis on defense.

"When he came in, he said he might ask me to do some things I've never done before," Christopher said. "It was defense, matching me up with point guards and opposing teams' really good scorers."

Randle has earned praise for better shot selection, fewer turnovers and generally playing with more control.

"He talks about games where he would have nine turnovers," Christopher said. "I can see his game maturing from last year."

Randle is a formidable three-point threat, as are Christopher and 6-6 junior Theo Robertson. Randle is shooting 49.4% on threes, Christopher 41.7% and Robertson 59.3%.

Behind the trio, Cal hasn't been forced to weather many setbacks. "Everything is good now," Randle said. "What is really going to separate us is (handling) things when they aren't going so well."

UCLA, ranked seventh, has ruled the Pac - 10 by winning the last three conference championships.

Could this be the year for Cal to shake things up? "I don't want to speak on it like that," Randle said. "We obviously have to play those guys, so I don't want to speak before we go and challenge them, but we are playing great basketball. We're only hoping it continues to be that way."

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