By Morris Phillips

Life goes on. Coach Cuonzo Martin didn’t opt for descriptive or dramatic in dissecting Cal’s disappointing loss to Hawaii, instead Martin chalked it up to the fickle ways of college basketball on the game’s biggest stage.

That and the confident, gutsy play of the Rainbow Warriors.

“It’s tough for young guys to overcome, but for us as a staff, as men, this is life,” Martin said of the 77—66 NCAA first round loss in Spokane, Washington. “And like Jordan (Mathews) said, you deal with these things all the time. I would rather deal with them now than 15, 2o years down the road. So, it’s part of it. It’s no big deal. We still have to lace them up and play the game. I think Hawaii won the game tonight.”

While Hawaii built an early lead, and nursed it over the game’s final 30 minutes—with a few anxious moments midway through the second half—the Bears wilted, losing senior leader Tyrone Wallace and fired assistant coach Yann Hufnagel this week, then finding out just minutes before tip that they would be without Jabari Bird as well, felled by back spasms.

From the start, the Bears struggled to hold on to the ball and shoot it when they held on to it. Cal finished with 16 turnovers and 41 percent shooting, not nearly crisp enough play to overcome Hawaii’s 51 percent shooting for the game.   Seldom used reserves Brandon Chauca, Roger Moute a Bidias and Stephen Domingo gifted with additional playing time in the absence of Wallace and Bird, did little with it. Cal’s trio of reserves finished 0 for 11 from the field, 0 for 7 from beyond the arc.

Of course, with Cal down two perimeter threats, the Rainbow Warriors packed in their zone, leaving the Bears little opportunity to get to the basket. With that avenue taken away from Cal, their outside shooting failed them, hitting just 3 of 19 attempts.

Jordan Mathews, starting in place of Bird, led Cal with 23 points. Ivan Rabb added 13 points, 12 rebounds and Sam Singer added 12. The Bears finished their season 23-11 as one of five Pac-12 teams who failed to advance to the tournament’s second round.

Guard Quincy Smith led Hawaii with a career-best 19 points and center Stefan Jankovic added 16. The Rainbow Warriors won in the NCAA tournament for the first time, after losses each of its four other tourney berths.

“Well, I think Obama’s bracket is still intact,” Jankovic said. “I think he picked us. For the next round it won’t be because I think we’re going to be in upset city. But it’s great. I remember a couple years back watching Florida Gulf Coast and Dunk City and it’s just, the whole world watches, the whole world stops for two or three weeks or however long it is, and just to be part of that is really kind of special.”

Martin and the Cal players deflected all questions regarding the status of star freshman Rabb and Jaylen Brown going forward, as both players are projected to be lottery picks in the upcoming NBA draft. If they do depart, Brown will leave after slumping badly in the season’s final five games. On Friday, Brown was quiet again, finishing with four points on 1 of 6 shooting and seven turnovers.

The Bears entered the NCAA tournament with their highest seeding ever as No. 4. But they couldn’t overcome the personnel losses or foul trouble prompted by the game’s officials.   Forty-nine personal fouls were called in the game, 25 against Cal.