As a senior, he averaged 15.9 points and 3.9 assists, and led the California Golden Bears to the post-season National Invitation Tournament title in March 1999.

Carlisle converted a three-point play with 4.7 seconds left to lift the Bears to a 61–60 victory over Clemson in the tournament's championship game.

He led the team in assists, and set a career high with 10 against Southern California, and scored at least 25 points six times, with a season-high of 29 in a win over North Carolina.

[4] In 2001–02, he started the season with the ABA's Las Vegas Slam, but shortly moved back to Italy to play for De Vizia Scandone Avellino, where he appeared in 6 games and averaged 17.7 points.

Though he spent many seasons with foreign teams and in the minor leagues, Carlisle continued to pursue his goal of making an NBA roster.

Geno's father, Clarence, was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the 1973 NBA draft, but was cut from the team the day before the season began.