Cal was already facing an uphill battle against top-seeded Oregon Friday night in the Pac-12 semifinals. Just one minute into the game, that hill got even steeper.
Bears leading scorer Jabari Bird fell hard on his head after leaping over the top of Oregon's Jordan Bell. Bird left the game to be evaluated for a concussion and eventually went to the hospital for a CT scan. And just like that, Cal had lost its senior leader.
The Bears would put forth an inspired effort, but ultimately fell short, 73-65, as Oregon advanced to Saturday's championship game and Cal dropped to 21-12 on the season.