UCLA Basketball: 5 things we learned from the non-conference schedule

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KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins reacts from the bench during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic game against the Creighton Bluejays at the Sprint Center on November 20, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

4. Defense is stil an issue

I guess the main theme of UCLA’s nonconference schedule is the fact that they are inconsistent with a lot of things. Defense is no exception.

With the loss of Jalen Hill and Cody Riley, UCLA lost some length and athleticism which would’ve helped on the defensive side of the ball. Now I’m not saying these players would’ve turned the team into a Ben Howland-type of squad, but they would have helped make the defense a lot bette than it has been so far this season. With the talent and the coaching resume of the Bruins, there should be no reason why UCLA is allowing so many open outside shots, allowing the paint to be attacked and very little on ball pressure.

Currently, UCLA is 258th in scoring defense (76.1 ppg) and 116th in field-goal percentage allowed (42.0%).

With the speed and length the Bruins have on the roster, there should be a little bit more pressure on other teams, especially since Steve Alford has said that he wanted to improve the defense, one of the things he brought up in his letter to the UCLA fan base when he gave back his extension season and a half ago.

Though there have been bright spots, there really hasn’t been a lot to write home about in the area of defense with the Bruins.