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Arizona ends seven-game losing streak with 76-51 win over California

Arizona center Chase Jeter (4) drives on California center Connor Vanover during the second half.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
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Ryan Luther scored 19 points and Arizona ended its longest losing streak in 36 years with a 76-51 victory over California Thursday night.

The Wildcats (15-12, 6-8 Pac-12) were solid defensively all night and turned on the offense in the second half to end a seven-game losing streak.

Arizona’s bench scored 31 points and the Wildcats made 17 of 29 shots in the second half for its first win since Jan. 19.

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Luther led the second-half charge with 13 points and went 5 for 8 from the 3-point line overall.

Cal (5-21, 0-14) had another ugly offensive night to lose its 15th straight game. The Bears shot 30 percent and went 6 for 26 from the 3-point arc to remain winless in the Pac-12 since last Feb. 8

Justice Sueing led the Bears with 18 points.

Arizona won the first meeting with Cal 87-65 in Berkley on Jan. 12.

Since then, the Wildcats have gone in tailspin, losing eight of nine to go from NCAA Tournament longshot to hoping for an NIT berth.

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The Bears continued their slide after playing Arizona, losing nine straight to stretch their winless streak to 14 games.

Arizona and Cal played like two teams with a combined 21 straight losses early, clanking shots and trading turnovers.

The Wildcats got better.

The Bears didn’t.

Cal had a nearly six-minute span where it missed 11 of 12 shots and went 6 for 26 in the first half, including 2 of 13 on 3-pointers.

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Arizona had similar troubles at the arc, going 4 for 15. The Wildcats made up for it by making 6 of 11 inside the arc and getting 15 points from their bench to lead 30-20.

Arizona stretched the lead to 43-25 with an early 11-0 run — eight by Luther — and used a short run later to go up 58-40.

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