Well, at least somebody gets to leave the arena happy this time.
One of the two most historic losing streaks in Pac-12 history will end Thursday when Arizona hosts California at McKale Center. Two streaks that evolved for much different reasons, to much different teams, yet inflicted the same kind of pain.
This was UA coach Sean Miller on Wednesday, three days after No. 7 hit on Sunday at Colorado: “We’re desperate to get in the winning column. We really are.”
And Cal coach Wyking Jones, discussing Wednesday how the Bears felt after losing 89-66 to USC on Saturday for loss No. 14 in a row: “We’re not happy with the way that we played. You can see it in their demeanor, body language. They’re upset.”
Cal’s 13-game conference losing streak (14 games overall) is the third-longest in the Pac-12 era (since 2011-12), following Washington State’s 16-game slide to the finish in 2015-16 and Oregon State’s skid of 14 straight in 2016-17.
Even counting games since the league expanded to 10 teams in 1978, Cal’s 13-game conference streak is already the 12th longest. A loss to Arizona on Thursday additionally would put the Bears in an infamous cluster of nine teams who have all lost 14 in a row (including UA’s 1982-83 team), all tied for the fourth-longest streak in the past four decades.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, are embroiled in their personal worst for what has also been decades. Their seven-game streak is the worst in program history since that 1982-83 stretch, which prompted the hiring of Lute Olson the following season, as well as the worst-ever for Miller as a head coach and for many of the UA players, too.
“I know me personally, I’ve never lost as many times in a row,” UA guard Dylan Smith said Wednesday. “Ever. Like, in anything.”
But there is a major difference in the way these two streaks have evolved, as the first meeting between Arizona and Cal made clear: Back then, on Jan. 12 in Berkeley, California, the Golden Bears were already working on their losing streak while UA had a full, healthy roster.
Coach Wyking Jones and Cal are trying to break a 13-game conference losing streak — third-longest in the Pac-12 era.
Cal lost 82-73 at home to Seattle on Dec. 29, then opened the Pac-12 with three more losses before the Wildcats showed up to thump the Bears 87-65.
Meanwhile, on that day, the Wildcats didn’t have to worry about Brandon Williams’ knee, watched Chase Jeter play one of the best games of his season without back pain and even still had Emmanuel Akot on the roster.
“We were almost a different team then,” Miller said.
Smith was asked Wednesday what he remembered about the Bay Area trip, when UA also edged Stanford to record a road sweep, and what the Wildcats used at that point to stay on track.
“Yeah,” Smith said. “Two more players.”
SCOUTING REPORT: Arizona Wildcats vs. California Golden Bears
That would be Akot, who is transferring to Boise State at the end of the semester, and Williams, who remains out with his reaggravated right knee.
Williams has already missed five games because of the knee injury, which initially led to surgery during his junior year of high school, and Miller said he will also not play against the Golden Bears on Thursday.
But Miller didn’t rule Williams out completely for the Wildcats’ game with Stanford on Sunday, or for a trip to Oregon next week. Williams started participating in pregame warmups last week in Utah and Miller said he’s also taken on increased work in practices.
“We have to be patient, Brandon has to be patient,” Miller said. “He’s moving in a good pattern. I think he has less discomfort, less pain than he’s had, and we’ve been able to move him into doing more things.”
Ultimately, Miller said Williams’ return or lack thereof will be a group decision among trainer Justin Kokoskie, UA team doctors, Williams and Williams’ family.
It’ll be when “they are all aligned and feel like, ‘OK, now’s the time when he can play,’” Miller said. “Then we’ll play him. There’s a chance he might not play at all.”
If Williams doesn’t return or is limited, the Wildcats could be vulnerable for another losing streak even if their current one ends Thursday.
“The thing about Brandon is his playmaking, his ability to not just score, but to get fouled on drives, get others shots and he’s very clever,” Miller said. “He was getting better. The irony of his situation is the best game that he played was the final game before he got injured, at UCLA. So we miss him, we really do.”
