Losing five of the last six regular season games couldn’t have felt good for anyone associated with the Cal basketball program. That seemed particularly true because the only victory in that stretch came in the cozy confines of Haas Pavilion against woeful Oregon State. Sure, nobody could blame the Bears for falling in Tucson. Despite its heartbreaking finish, the Oregon game featured a high level of execution over most of its 40 minutes.
Nevertheless, it felt like Cal left victories on the table in losing to Stanford and Colorado even if they were road matchups. A defeat at Utah seemed more forgivable on its face, but not when it transpired in the fashion that led up to the lopsided final tally of 74-44.