Arizona Wildcats snap seven-game losing streak with 76-51 win over Cal Bears

Despite some early shooting struggles, the Wildcats hit 58.6 percent of their shots in the second half, including 7 of 16 3-pointers, while smashing the Bears 76-51. The win ended UA’s seven-game losing streak, its longest since 1982-83.

Cal entered the game allowing the highest field goal percentage (50.3) of all 351 Division I teams, the fifth-highest 3-point percentage (39.2), and was giving up 114.1 points per 100 possessions, making it the 15th-least efficient defense in Kenpom terms.

The woeful Bears tried a zone defense that initially caused UA some trouble, but Ryan Luther led the way as the Wildcats eventually solved it with ease. Luther tied his season-highs in scoring (19) and 3-pointers made (five) to lead the Wildcats while also collecting five rebounds.

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Chase Jeter had 13 points and seven rebounds, while Devonaire Doutrive had 11 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The win moved Arizona to 15-12 overall and 6-8 in the Pac-12, heading into a Sunday game against Stanford. In losing their 15th straight game, and 22nd overall in Pac-12 play, Cal dropped to 5-21 and 0-14.

Up by 10 at halftime, the Wildcats led just 32-25 after an early 3-pointer from Cal center Connor Vanover and a fast-break layup from point guard Paris Austin. But Luther then scored eight straight points, hitting a midrange jumper from 12 feet out, then hitting two 3-pointers, the last right in front of a giddy UA bench.

Justin Coleman also hit a 3-pointer during the Wildcats' 11-0 run, and they led 43-25 with 16:17 left.

Cal later came back to creep within 12 points, 47-35, after a 3-pointer from Matt Bradley, but the Wildcats had 3s from Luther, Doutrive and Dylan Smith during a 90-second span midway through the second half to take a 58-40 lead.

The Wildcats wound up with a 14-0 run after Alex Barcello added a 3-pointer and Doutrive drove inside for a layup.

In the first half, Arizona took a 30-20 halftime lead but shot just 38.5 percent and hit only 4 of 15 3-pointers while committing three turnovers in the first five minutes.

Luther led the Wildcats with six points on two 3-pointers while also collecting five rebounds. Ira Lee scored six points on three dunks but missed a pair of free throws with five seconds left in the half.

The Bears shot only 24 percent from the field and made only six baskets for the half. They were 2 of 13 from 3-point range in the first half.

Both teams came out of the gate looking shaky. Cal shot 2 of 8 through the first media timeout while UA was 2 for 7 and each team had three turnovers.

All those miscues led to just nine total points scored over the first five and a half minutes, with Cal leading 5-4. But the Wildcats found Lee through the Cal zone defense for dunks three times over the next four-minute segment, leading to a 17-9 lead with 7:18 to go; a 3-pointer from Devonaire Doutrive also helped UA pull ahead.

At that point, Cal had missed 10 of its past 11 shots for the field while going 3 of 18 overall and missing 9 of 10 3-pointers.

The Bears pulled within 27-20 into the final minute after Juhwan Harris-Dyson hit a 3-pointer but Ryan Luther answered on the other end with a 3 of his own to put UA ahead 30-20 with 47 seconds left.