After his team’s historic seven-game losing streak finally went away Thursday, Arizona coach Sean Miller took a walk down a psychological tightrope into his team’s locker room.

Yes, the Wildcats won a game for the first time in over a month, beating Cal 76-51 by shooting 49.1 percent from the field and getting 3-pointers from six different players to fall in over the Bears’ zone defense.

β€œFeels good,” said forward Ryan Luther, who led the Wildcats while tying his season-highs in points (19) and 3-pointers made. β€œLosing seven in a row is tough.”

But, well, this was California, otherwise known as the perfect cure for literally anyone’s losing streak. The Bears have now lost 15 straight games, and 22 straight in Pac-12 play dating back to last season, plus they also have the 15th worst defensive efficiency in the nation. That includes the absolute worst defensive field-goal percentage in the country, 50.3, so the Wildcats actually shot worse against them Thursday than average for Cal opponents.

And, in fact, the Wildcats actually struggled at times against Cal, especially while shooting just 38.5 percent before halftime and turning the ball over three times in the game’s first five minutes.

Arizona wasn’t perfect. Cal was worse.

Surrounded by yellow jerseys, Wildcats guard Alex Barcello finds a way to get the pass off in UA’s 76-51 win that snapped a seven-game losing streak.

But, more than anything, this: It was a win. Nobody could deny the smiles and fist-hand-chest- slapping the Wildcats did throughout a second half when they shot 58.6 percent and outscored the Bears by 15, nor could anyone discount the vocal fan support that Miller again praised afterward.

β€œThe crowd just stays with us,” Miller said. β€œComing on the heels of how we’ve played and what we’ve gone through, I can’t tell you how much that means to the players on our team and the future, and everything that is on the table.”

So, afterward, Miller spoke about the good, and the bad. Aware that Stanford is coming to McKale Center on Sunday with a better team on both ends of the floor than Cal β€” and perhaps anxious to end their own 0-for-Miller-era streak against the Wildcats β€” Miller said he told them what’s really up.

β€œWe’ve just had a hard time playing really good for 40 minutes, and those breakdowns kill you,” Miller said. β€œWe had breakdowns tonight. Cal wasn’t able to take advantage of some of them, but on Sunday, Stanford will.”

Arizona Wildcats forward Ira Lee (11) fights his way between California guard Matt Bradley (20), left, and forward Andre Kelly (22), picking up the foul in the process during the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, February 21, 2019, Tucson, Ariz.

Miller went on. He said the Wildcats aren’t a good offensive team, but … had some really good moments while scoring 76 points.

The good and the bad, seeking confidence and awareness.

β€œI’m not at all insinuating that I’m gonna be hard on them and take their confidence,” Miller said. β€œBut the one thing about a player is they know when you’re lying as a coach. They know when you’re sugarcoating different things. They know when you kind of giving him that fool’s gold. They respect the truth.

β€œBut that doesn’t mean that you know you can enjoy a win or a good moment.”

That, they did.

Luther provided many of those moments Thursday, not just by hitting 5 of 8 3-pointers but also by driving inside for a second-half dunk that just about nobody expected.

The Bears, or the Wildcats, that is.

β€œI mean, obviously I made a few 3s, so they were contesting pretty hard,” Luther said of the Bears. β€œAnd the guy just flew by me so I was able to put on a floor and, you know, score it, but I guess my teammates had a few jokes for that.”

They did. Sitting next to Luther on the postgame podium, Devonaire Doutrive cracked a smile when Luther said that, and when asked if he expcted such a move, said β€œnot at all.”

Miller had a joke of his own, too.

β€œWhen he jumps, I never think he’s going to dunk,” Miller said with a smile. β€œI think the ball’s gonna hit the front of the rim and he’s gonna land right on his back. But he surprise you once in a while, for sure.”

While Luther led the Wildcats in scoring, Chase Jeter had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Doutrive had 11 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The win moved Arizona to 15-12 overall and 6-8 in the Pac-12, while Cal dropped to 5-21 and 0-14.

Justice Sueing led Cal with 18 points but was only 6 for 16 from the field and missed all six 3-pointers he tried. UA allowed the Bears to shoot just 30.4 percent.

SEEN AND HEARD:Β A lesson from Zion, Ryan Luther from downtown, and a 'pretty' Chase Jeter

Up by 10 at halftime, the Wildcats led just 32-25 in the second half 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 and 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 rolled that into a 14-0 run after Alex Barcello added a 3-pointer and Doutrive drove inside for a layup as the game stayed in their control.

Among the six players who hit a 3 for Arizona was Smith, who rolled his ankle and was less than 100 percent afterward, Miller said.

There’s no doubt Miller would have liked to see a seventh guy out there hitting one.

But guard Brandon Williams missed his sixth straight game with his injured right knee, and Miller said there was only a β€œslim chance” that he will play Sunday against Stanford.

But whether Williams plays or not, the Wildcats appear to be together for whatever happens next. Both Miller and Luther said the team didn’t give up or point fingers during their losing streak, and maybe, with that attitude and a little momentum, things can look better ahead.

β€œOur quest is to continue to grow and learn recognize the things we’re doing well and improve the things that we are,” Miller said. β€œMaybe here in the next couple of weeks at some point we can welcome Brandon Williams back. I think that would be a big shot in the arm, depth, firepower, scoring.

β€œAnd we have 15 wins. Our goal is to try to get more than that and take it one moment at a time.”

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