UCLA Basketball and The Future

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Feb 12, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford calls to his players during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /

With UCLA Basketball missing the 2016 NCAA Tournament, we look to the future of the program and what we should expect going into next season.

Well, How Did We Get Here?

Head Coach Steve Alford and the UCLA Basketball team were not invited to the NCAA Tournament, which means they have all summer to come up with a plan for the 2016-17 season.

Things did not turn out as hoped for the Bruins as this roller coaster of a season had come to a bumpy end after a promising start.

Despite a season opening loss to Monmouth and a blundering exhibition in the Maui Invitational, the Bruins turned around their misfortune with one particular event that seemed to set the tone for the non-conference schedule and possibly the rest of the season.

On Thursday, December 3, the UCLA Bruins took on the #1 Kentucky Wildcats at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins decimated the Wildcats, 87-77. It was not just a late push that got the victory, but a game in which UCLA was in total control.

UCLA Bruins /

UCLA Bruins

It was more than a time for celebration, it meant that UCLA Basketball was on its way back to elite status and it got even better.

The Kentucky game was followed up by huge road win at Gonzaga. There were also several home victories against leaser teams that aided the Breuin’s cause and though a few of those cupcakes nearly upset UCLA, the end result was a win for the Bruins win a 9-4 record in the non-conference. Things were looking good for UCLA.

Then conference play started. With such promise, the Bruins traveled north to the state of Washington, hoping to get the first road sweep in the Alford era… instead the Bruin got swept themselves and they started Pac-12 play 0-2.

Things did improve when they returned home the next week. A last second victory over Arizona and then a close win over Arizona State evened the Bruins record, but that was the beginning of a long and uncomfortable Pac-12 season, one that ended with only 6 wins and 12 losses.

It got worse for the Bruins in the Pac-12 Tournament. UCLA faced USC, a team that had beat them by double-digits twice in the regular season, who then ran the Bruins out of Las Vegas as they Trojans won by a score of 95-71.

After this, rumblings emerged as fans and boosters requested change in the coaching position, but as we found out last Friday, UCLA will retain Steve Alford. So now, with UCLA Basketball free of post-season responsibilities, we look to the future.

Next: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back