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BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Allen Crabbe had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Justin Cobbs added 12 points and seven assists, and California overcame a sluggish start to overpower Utah 64-46 on Thursday night for its sixth straight win.
The highest scoring duo in the Pac-12 Conference helped the Golden Bears (19-9, 11-5) reel off 21 straight points to seal their longest winning streak since opening the season 6-0. They held Utah to its lowest scoring output of the season, including more than 10 minutes without a basket to go ahead by 16 points early in the second half.
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Jordan Loveridge had nine points and 11 rebounds for the Utes (11-16, 3-12), who have lost three straight and five of six while struggling to find their shooting stroke. No other Utah player scored more than seven points.
Cal outshot Utah 40 percent to 29 percent.
Crabbe and Cobb entered the game as the highest-scoring pair of teammates in the league, averaging 33.9 points a game. Crabbe led the conference with an average of 19 points per game.
The hottest tandem, and team, in the Pac-12 once again showed why it is surging toward another NCAA tournament berth - it just took some time.
The Utes pushed the pace and pushed the Bears around the paint at the start, getting out on the fast break on almost every possession. Dakarai Tucker took an over-the-rim lob from Brandon Taylor and finished for a two-handed slam, part of a highlight-filled run that put Utah ahead by eight.
After Loveridge's jumper put Utah ahead 24-19 with 4:17 left in the half, everything changed.
The Bears began being the bruising bullies in the paint. They cooled off Utah's streaky shooters, and the Utes completely lost their calm-and-collected demeanor.
Cal rolled off the next 21 points, clamped down on defense and held Utah scoreless for more than 10 minutes until Tucker's fast-break layup finally ended Utah's drought with 14:29 to play in the second half.
By then, it was over.
The Bears had gone ahead 40-24 before the basket, and the crowd at Haas Pavilion had already started chanting its farewells. Even ever-intense Cal coach Mike Montgomery barely bothered to jump out of his seat anymore.
The Utes were 0 of 9 with five turnovers during the drought. Going back to a horrendous second half in a 60-50 loss at Colorado last Thursday, Utah is 25 of 84 from the floor in its last 60 minutes.
The Bears, meanwhile, are making a strong case for the postseason.
Cal has only two games left, and both are at home. The Bears host Colorado on Saturday and Bay Area rival Stanford on Tuesday night. (Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) 2/28/2013 9:14:35 PM (GMT -7:00)
