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UCLA Basketball: Steve Alford has not kept his promise about the defense

By Mike Regalado

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)
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) /
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UCLA basketball going forward

There is still a lot of basketball to play and the Alford could do something about the defense starting now, but how is it going to be maintained? This past weekend, UCLA should have manhandled Colorado, but they rely too much on the outside shot and in that game nothing was falling. By the time the Bruins put on decent defensive pressure, the Buffaloes were already well ahead and controlling the pace of the game. And that is just Colorado (at Pauley Pavilion).

The Bruins still have to face Arizona (in Tucson, their only meeting this regular season) and USC (home and away). UCLA will also be tested this weekend as they head north for the Oregon road trip, which is not going to easy.

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Here is something to note, through six season, Alford only has gone on 21 road trips (not counting USC) and has had only four road sweeps, three of which came last season during the season of Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf, Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton season of amazement.

Something else to note, UCLA recently fired Jim Mora, their former football coach, due to underachieving. What came out of that is the fact that UCLA is willing and able to replace a coach with one that can get things done. Hopefully Alford is aware of this because if things don’t change, he might be forced to change jobs.

The seat is getting warm and Alford has to show that he can make the necessary changes for UCLA to be contenders, but looking at his body of work the last six seasons, that does not seem like a possibility. David Woods of Bruin Report Online gave an interesting detailed account of this in a Twitter thread he posted after the loss to Colorado which includes comparisons to other elite programs in recruiting, offensive and defensive efficiency — click HERE to read.

Next: The UCLA Basketball All-Time Team

So is UCLA going to come out swinging the rest of the season or are Bruins fans in for another disappointing end to a season wondering “when are we going to get another banner?” Not any time soon, I can tell you that, unless drastic measures are taken.