Right on Time

In the midst of one of its worst seasons, the UCLA basketball program might have found a motto for how to deal with adversity:

“Go See Cal.”

For the third time in school history, California has helped -- albeit involuntarily -- UCLA break out of a troublesome funk.

The Bruins’ 76-75 Pacific 10 Conference overtime victory over the Golden Bears on Thursday ended a conference losing streak at 10 games, a mark that qualified as the third-worst in school history.

UCLA also has had conference losing streaks of 11 and 30 games, both of which ended after a game with California.

In 1940-41, UCLA lost its last seven conference games to finish 2-10 and in fourth -- or last -- place in the South Division of the Pacific Coast Conference when USC, Stanford and Cal served as its conference rivals. The Bruins then lost their first four conference games of the 1941-42 season, finally ending the streak with a 50-34 victory over the Golden Bears.

UCLA’s 30-game streak overlapped four seasons (from 1936-37 to 1939-40) and two coaches (Caddy Works and Wilbur Johns).

That streak ended with a 34-32 victory at California, but it didn’t keep UCLA from finishing last among the four teams again.