ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 16 Power Rankings
By Trevor Booth
12. California Golden Bears (5-20, 0-13 Pac-12) Last Week: 12
Cal continues to break records this season, but not in the way a power conference team would hope for.
Last week, the Golden Bears extended a program-record of 14 straight losses, falling in overtime to UCLA before a thumping at the hands of USC. With an 0-13 Pac-12 record, there’s a legitimate chance of Cal becoming the second team in the conference history to finish winless in league action (Oregon State in 2007-08).
Against the Bruins, Cal started the contest on a 9-0 run, eventually building a double-digit lead with 7:51 remaining in the first half. After a UCLA spurt, sophomore forward Grant Anticevich beat the halftime horn with a layup, reconstructing a 9-point advantage and prime position for Cal to pick up its first conference win.
But after the break, the Bears assumed survival mode. UCLA’s Kris Wilkes scored 16 of his 27 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer to give the Bruins a 3-point lead with 46 seconds left.
Cal’s Matt Bradley responded with a 3 to send the contest to overtime, but the Bears couldn’t execute in the extra frame. Nine of UCLA’s 11 overtime points came at the free throw line, and the Bruins stole what was likely Cal’s best shot to win a Pac-12 game, 75-67.
Three nights later, the Bears again fell on the wrong side of history against USC. Trojan forward Bennie Boatwright finished with 36 points – including a school record of 10 3-pointers – to extend Cal’s demise with an 89-66 home rout.
Coach Wyking Jones admitted his team took “a major step backwards” in the blowout defeat. After losing by single digits in four of its previous six contests, the Bears suffered their first 20-point loss since Jan. 17 against Washington State.
Looking to avoid imperfection, Cal returns to the road this week to face Arizona and Arizona State.