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UCLA Vs Oregon State: Can The Bruins Regroup on the Road?

By Mike Regalado

Jan 3, 2016; Pullman, WA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford looks on against the Washington State Cougars during the first half at Wallis Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Pullman, WA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford looks on against the Washington State Cougars during the first half at Wallis Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /
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UCLA looks to regroup after a beating by their crosstown rival a week ago, yet have to do it on the road, a place that they are not very successful.

The UCLA Bruins are heading to Oregon where they are set to take on the Oregon State Beavers (and then the Oregon Ducks). Not only are the Bruins looking to bounce back from their worst road loss at Pauley Pavilion in the Steve Alford-era, but they are also looking to get their first conference road win of the season.

In the Alford-era, UCLA has not exactly been a powerhouse. In fact, the Bruins have not gotten a conference road sweep in his time in Westwood, which makes this trip up to Oregon come at a bad time.

In fact, the Bruins are going to have to do some deep soul searching in the next few weeks as five of their next seven games are on the road.

Records: UCLA Bruins (11-7, 2-3), Oregon State Beavers (11-5, 2-3)

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Tipoff: 8:00 p.m. PT

Location: Gill Coliseum (9,604)

Tickets: OSUBevaers.com

TV: ESPNU

Live Stream: ESPN Live Stream

Radio: AM 570 Los Angeles

On-line Radio: Tune-In

Betting Line: OSU -2.5

Players To Watch

UCLA Bruins

  • Bryce Alford – 16.9 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, 4.0 rebounds per game
  • Isaac Hamilton – 16.2 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game
  • Tony Parker – 13.6 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game, .545 FG%

Oregon State Beavers

  • Gary Payton II – 17.3 points per game, 5.1 assists per game, 8.3 rebounds per game
  • Tres Tinkle – 11.7 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 1.4 steals per game
  • Stephen Thompson, Jr. – 9.7 points per game, 1.3 rebounds per game, 416 FG%

This has not been an easy conference schedule for the UCLA Bruins so far. They started things off getting swept up in Washington, going to 2OT with the Huskies and playing uninspired ball against the Cougars.

The next week, they come out and shocked the #7 Arizona Wildcats and then edged out ASU at Pauley Pavilion. Then a few days later, USC comes in and obliterates the Bruins on Nell and John Wooden Court the way no one has since Alford has been in charge.

This is what we call a pattern and it is hard to ignore. Though full of talent, the Bruins are not playing as cohesively as they need to be to navigate through the Pac-12. Though they have had a week off to prepare for this game, UCLA has time and again proved that they come up short in big games, or even worse, not show up at all for games they should be dominating.

Next: The UCLA Basketball All-Time Team

Their success depends on how they decide to move forward as a team. Though they have shown they can run with the big dogs, they have also shown they run out of gas.

Prediction: UCLA 67 – Oregon State 75