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UCLA Basketball: What Noah Allen’s Transfer Means to the Bruins

By Mike Regalado

Jan 29, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Utes guard Brandon Taylor (11) passes the ball around UCLA Bruins guard Noah Allen (22) and forward Kevon Looney (5) during the game at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Utes guard Brandon Taylor (11) passes the ball around UCLA Bruins guard Noah Allen (22) and forward Kevon Looney (5) during the game at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Senior Noah Allen is leaving the UCLA Basketball team and is heading to Hawaii as a graduate transfer, which shifts the scholarships among the Bruins.

The UCLA Basketball roster just got a little lighter today as senior guard/forward Noah Allen has left the program. He will be playing in Hawaii next season as a graduate transfer and will be immediately eligible to play.

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Though it is a bit surprising, it is not unexpected. Allen was at best a reserve that never fully developed under Head Coach Steve Alford.

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Allen only averaged eight and a half minutes per game in his career at UCLA, with 1.2 points per game. During the 2015-16 season, his time was nearly cut in half from the previous season as he only saw 6.4 minutes worth of floor time.

The interesting thing is that he started to make more and more of an appearance late in the 2015-16 season as he was often favored as a backup guard over freshmen Prince Ali.

So with Allen heading to Hawaii, what does that mean for the UCLA Basketball team? Basically, the Bruins are now at capacity with their scholarships. Before Allen’s departure, Alford had 13 scholarships for 14 scholarship players.

The plan was, after PF T.J. Leaf committed (putting the Bruins over the limit for the 2016-17 season), Bryce Alford would be pulled of his scholarship, making him a walk-on. That would not affect his standing within the team, it is just a technicality which would have allowed the Bruins to have 14 scholarship level players on the roster.

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Well now the Bruins do not have to worry about taking Alford off of scholarship, and though Allen would have graduated after this season, it gives a clearer picture of the needs UCLA Basketball must focus on going forward.