Makale Foreman

The Bears couldn’t complete a second half rally as they fell to the Cougars in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament.

In a matchup with the No. 2 team in the nation, the Bears felt the wrath of the Wildcats’ bigs as they lost 61-89.

Despite a brilliant first-half performance, the Runnin’ Utes crossed the finish line first, defeating Cal in their second conference game.

Bradley sits at No. 21 on Cal’s all-time scoring list and has provided a sense of optimism for fans who haven’t seen the Bears sport a winning record since the 2016-17 season.

The blue and gold had an opportunity to steal a second consecutive win in the tournament but couldn’t finish on a consistent basis.

All of these signs bode well for Cal in its final game of the season against OSU. But given the Bears’ struggles all season, they are still the heavy underdogs heading in.

The Bears would not give up, as they fought back from a seven-point deficit with 0:45 on the clock to give Matt Bradley a chance at the game-winning three.

Cal was just a few plays away from earning a victory on the national stage over a ranked UCLA team — a team that routed the Bears earlier this season.

This was a three-point barrage for Colorado, as the team posted season-highs in both makes (12) and efficiency (57%) from downtown.

Cal head coach Mark Fox emphasized the importance of using his big men to penetrate Washington’s zone — and it quickly became clear why.