By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, Calif. — Typically, the Cal Bears can’t seem to stop anyone from scoring. On Wednesday, their issues were with scoring themselves.

From a competitive standpoint, the change put the Bears in a more esteemed place by leaps and bounds than they’ve been during a lengthy, 12-game losing streak. But ultimately, losing in overtime didn’t feel much better.

Matt Bradley hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime, but the Bears went the first three-and-a-half minutes of the extra period scoreless in a 75-67 loss to UCLA.

“We just could not score tonight. That’s the biggest team in the league. When you’re playing against a team with that length, it’s tough,” Bears coach Wyking Jones said.

The Bruins’ struggles shooting the basketball in the first half helped Cal mask their own issues. UCLA fell behind 11-2 in the early minutes prompting interim coach Murry Bartow to bench all five of his starters briefly. The Bruins’ misfires continued throughout the half in which they shot just 28 percent and made eight baskets.

But ultimately, Cal couldn’t maintain their nine-point lead at the break as UCLA took their first lead, 44-43, on Chris Smith’s jumper with 11:05 remaining.

Darius McNeill led Cal with 18 points, and his pair of 3-pointers helped Cal stay in the game, down 52-51 with 8:52 remaining. Grant Anticevich’s free throw line jump shot pulled the Bears even, 55-55 with 4:56 left.

Bradley then scored the Bears’ final seven points, including the three to even the score in the final 30 seconds.

“We got good things when we got to the high post but it was difficult to get it there,” Jones aid. “The guys don’t want to turn it over and that team is the biggest team in the league, so when you’re playing team with that much length it’s tough to get the ball to the high post.”

Overtime brought a different list of issues for Cal as they sandwiched three misses from distance around a pair of turnovers before scoring for the first time in overtime (and the last time in the game) with 1:34 remaining.

The Bears would go 1 for 7 shooting in overtime, along with a couple of free throw misses from Connor Vanover, and lose meekly. Still, the Bears competed with a team that beat them by 15 points at Westwood on January 5.

“We’re getting better,” McNeill said. “People may not see it but we’re in every game that we lose in the first half, and in the second half we just come out flat and don’t really get back together. But we’re getting better every game and we just have to stay focused for the whole game.”

Cal gets a second opportunity to topple the Trojans on Saturday. Game time is 2:30 pm at Haas Pavilion.