Who: Cal (12-16, 5-12 ACC; last game: 81-77 loss to SMU) vs. Boston College (12-6, 4-13; last game: 78-60 loss to Stanford)

When: 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: Berkeley, California | Haas Pavilion

TV/streaming: ESPNU | Dave Feldman (PxP) & Jerod Haase (Analyst)

Radio: 810 AM | Justin Allegri (PxP) & Theo Robertson (Analyst)

All-time series: BC leads 3-0

Odds: Cal (-8.5), O/U (144.5) – via BetMGM

Cal is in the middle of a frustrating five-game losing streak that could have easily been snapped in any of its last three games. In their losses to Georgia Tech, Stanford, and SMU, the Bears have lost by a combined 11 points — losses all within a 5-points or less margin and losses that came down to a handful of possessions. Holistically, the Bears are 2-5 on the season in games decided by five points or less.

And it has put the Bears squarely into the danger zone in terms of the ACC standings. They sit only a game ahead of Boston College and NC State, the former of which they face Saturday in a game that may very well determine the final seed in the ACC Tournament.

So what’s been going on at the end of these games? Why is Cal on the rough end of these analytically coinflip situations?

Let’s go case by case starting with the 90-88 overtime loss to Georgia Tech.

Cal led 86-81 with around 2 minutes to go and only scored one basket in the four critical offensive possessions it played to close the game: Andrej Stojakovic getting pickpocketed, a DJ Campbell lob to Mady Sissoko, a travelling violation on Campbell and a Rytis Petraitis turnover on a big-to-big feed to Sissoko.