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UCLA Basketball: Will the defense improve in 2017-18?

By Muna Osisioma

Mar 19, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford reacts late in game against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford reacts late in game against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Under Steve Alford, UCLA Basketball has consistently underperformed on the defensive end. Will the 2017-18 season be any different?

UCLA hired Steve Alford partly because of his reputation as a defensive minded coach. According to Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, his last two New Mexico teams ranked in the top 25 in adjusted defensive efficiency. UCLA Basketball has not reached these heights yet.

In Steve Alford’s four years in Westwood, his teams have ranked 37th, 65th, 119th and 84th by kenpom’s defensive efficiency ratings. Theoretically, UCLA gets better talent than New Mexico, so what was responsible for the drop off?

RELATED: Will the Bruins improve in 2017-18?

The main culprit for UCLA’s defensive woes has been a lack of athleticism on the perimeter.

Bryce Alford caught most of the heat but the problem was bigger than him. With a career defensive rating of 107.9 per 100 possessions, Isaac Hamilton was almost as bad. UCLA was at a disadvantage defensively whenever both players were on the court.

Steve Alford tried to solve this by going to a sagging man defense and changing his screen and roll coverage.

At New Mexico, his post players hedged on screens forcing ball handlers towards the sideline. But at UCLA, he had the big men sit back in the paint to contain the ball and protect the basket. When that failed, he increasingly deployed more zone defenses.

Neither approach worked but the 2016-17 Bruins were able to lean on their hyper efficient offense. With Alford, Hamilton, Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf and Ike Anigbogu moving on, Coach Alford has to cook something else up for next season.

Next: Projected UCLA Basketball 2017-18 depth chart

The good news is that the 2017-18 version of the Bruins will be more athletic. The combination of Aaron Holiday, Jaylen Hands, Prince Ali and Kris Wilkes should provide enough punch to get the job done. UCLA will miss Lonzo Ball’s mastery but it might be time to try something new: a defensive approach.