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Warning: UCLA Basketball Is On Fire, Beware Pac-12

By Mike Regalado

Feb 9, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Aaron Holiday (3) celebrates after the game against the Oregon Ducks at Pauley Pavilion. The UCLA Bruins won 82-79. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Aaron Holiday (3) celebrates after the game against the Oregon Ducks at Pauley Pavilion. The UCLA Bruins won 82-79. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UCLA Basketball team has hit a stride that could help their chances of winning a Pac-12 regular season title. There is still work to do, but the Pac-12 should be on alert.

With their comeback win over Oregon, the UCLA Basketball team not only stays in contention for the Pac-12 title,  but is showing the conference that they could be the team to beat at the moment.

After going 6-3 in the first half of the Pac-12 schedule, which included losses to Oregon, Arizona and USC, the Bruins have adjusted their scheme to start the second half of Pac-12 play.

It started when the Bruins got their second road sweep of the season last weekend with wins over Washington and Washington State. The good news about this is that they did not just win, they dominated on the road. Against Washington, UCLA  won by 41 points. In Seattle, that never happens. It was a statement win.

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The Bruins then passed a huge test on Thursday night against Oregon in which they came back from 19 points down and beat the #5 team in the nation. UCLA got their revenge and now the conference knows that they are serious.

After Thursday night’s results in the Pac-12, UCLA now sits one game behind Oregon and two behind conference leader Arizona.

UCLA plays the Wildcats in McKale Arena in two weeks, a place in which opponents don’t usually have a good time. Yes, Arizona will come out swinging, but the way UCLA is playing basketball right now, it is hard to imagine them going down to Tucson and letting Arizona walk all over them.

Aside from Arizona, the Bruins have five other games. On the road against Arizona State and four home games against Oregon State, USC and both Washington schools. With only USC as a top half Pac-12 team, this schedule seems to be in their favor.

Arizona still has to play Cal and USC, both of which are in the top half of the conference standings. Oregon has it a bit tougher as they are yet to face USC, Utah and Cal, all top half Pac-12 teams. It is not a stretch to say that the Pac-12 regular-season title is still within reach for the Bruins. That does not mean it will come easy.

Next: Bruins Use Defense To Comeback Against Oregon

UCLA still has work to do and if they can play defense like they did against Oregon, it will be difficult for the the remaining teams on the schedule to stop them. Look out Pac-12, here come the Bruins.