The bottom of the conference standings isn’t an intimidating position for the men’s basketball team to be in.

But rest assured, coach Terry Gibbons said, after another heartbreaking 78-76 loss to UW-River Falls on Saturday, nobody wants to see the Blugolds come conference tournament time next week.

“There’s no question about it, I think we are capable of (winning the WIAC title),” Gibbons said. “I don’t think there is another conference team that wants to play us right now.”

The young but resilient Blugolds had River Falls on the ropes at the Kargas Gym Saturday. With 25 seconds to go, freshman Dan Archambault came free off a screen and drained a three-point shot despite being fouled.

After hitting the free throw, the Blugolds had the lead having trailed by five points with one minute, 21 seconds remaining in the game.

But indicative of their season thus far, the ‘Golds came up short in the end. The Blugolds decided to double team the Falcons’ leading scorer in Rich Melzer who finished with 24 points.

The defense worked, as Eau Claire was able to poke the ball away, but it went out to the Falcons’ Scott DeWyre. The weak side defender went out to cover DeWyre, whose pass found Brian Mathison who was wide-open at the top of the key.

With six seconds left on the clock Mathison drained the three-point shot. And junior Jason Larson came up short on his game-tying shot as time expired.

“It’s tough, you know what I mean,” Gibbons said. “The kids played hard. It felt like your heart was ripped out in the end. But a taste is better than nothing at all.”

The Blugolds have been able to taste victory a number of times this season, but they have been left with the bitter aftertaste of defeat the past few games.

Against UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday and UW-Stout last week the Blugolds were able to keep the game close before the more experienced teams pulled away in the end.

However, Gibbons said the Blugolds will benefit next season as the team will return all of its key players, including Larson who returned from suspension Wednesday and had a team-high 23 points against the Falcons.

The Blugolds finish out the regular season at home with UW-Platteville at Zorn Arena on Wednesday and UW-Oshkosh on Saturday.