UCLA Basketball: Bruins Get Embarrassed By USC In The Pac-12 Tournament

The UCLA Basketball team ended their season on a highly embarrassing note as they allowed the USC Trojans to run them into the ground in the first round of Pac-12 Tournament.

USC just destroyed the UCLA Basketball team 95-71 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. Look at that score carefully. The Bruins gave up 95 points to their crosstown rival. To add, it is the third time the Trojans have defeated the Bruins this season.

The funny thing about that is in their first two meetings, USC won by a combined 33 points. The Trojans were only seven points away from matching that in this one game.

This is March Madness. UCLA, the most storied college basketball program in history, was not prepared for this game. But that seems to be the theme.

Once again, this team led by Head Coach Steve Alford, came out flat, played no defense and were dunked on throughout the night… by their crosstown rival. You think it was bad with Ben Howland?

THIS IS NOT THE UCLA WAY.

This is not how you represent the school with 11 National Championships, the most in the NCAA. It is embarrassing.

More from Go Joe Bruin

I, of all people, should have known that this game would be no different. I gave UCLA Basketball the benefit of the doubt. I believed that they would take this game to heart. I believed that they would raise the level of competition for the Pac-12 Tournament, especially going against USC, who they lost to twice this season.

That did not happen. UCLA has seen this USC team twice before and played as if they had no clue who they were.

You have to give it to the Trojans. They, like many other teams, knew exactly what to do against UCLA. You run right past UCLA. You shoot from the corner against UCLA because they did not defend out there. You box out, because UCLA does not rebound. Essentially, you run right at UCLA because they will not stand in your way.

Six Trojans scored in double-digits led by Bennie Boatwright (19) and Jordan McLaughlin (18). USC, as a team, did one hell of a job moving the ball around.

As for UCLA, expecting to outscore their opponent, once again, failed. Though they scored 71 points, which is what you want from your team, it does nothing when you cannot limit your opponent from putting up nearly 100 points.

Next: UCLA Basketball Fans Want Action against Alford

This is what UCLA Basketball has become and whether or not Alford gets fired over this, it seems Bruin hoops is far from being what they once were. If you are waiting for Alford to make the UCLA Basketball program elite again, you are going to be waiting for a long time.