Cal Men's Basketball: Golden Bears Rocked by the Utah Utes

California is back to its losing ways

California guard DeJuan Clayton played his first game of the season Thursday after suffering an injury. (Courtesy: Cal Athletics)

Believe it or not: You must score to win a basketball game.

Unfortunately for basketball fans, neither California or Utah seemed to have gotten that memo. Both teams missed an overwhelming majority of the field goals attempted.

The California Golden Bears (1-13, 0-3 Pac-12) could not build upon its success against the University of Texas at Arlington last week, the first of its season, dropping a 43-58 game against the Utah Utes (10-4, 3-0 Pac-12).

And it is no wonder, as California scored on only one of three field goal attempts Thursday night. Utah did just a bit better at 40%.

The visiting Utes held California without a field goal for the game's last eight minutes and 28 seconds. The Golden Bears’ only lead was at the start of the game, as California was first to score a field goal, a Kuany Kuany jumper 27 seconds into the game.

Notably, Utah’s strong defense kept all but one Golden Bear from scoring in the double digits. California’s leader in scoring was Kuany, with 12 points. The usual leading scorer for the Bears, Devin Askew, was kept to a measly seven points, two assists and four rebounds.

But it was not all bad news for the California Golden Bears.

California, whose roster has suffered from injuries this season, was able to start graduate guard DeJuan Clayton. Clayton made his season debut as a Golden Bear Thursday. Last year, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in his second game as a Hartford Hawk. No doubt, California head coach Mark Fox has high hopes for Clayton, who has racked up a notable 1,534 career points at Hartford and Coppin State.

Utah has now won four games straight in the head-to-head series against Cal.