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UCLA Basketball: Is the 2018-19 Pac-12 season UCLA’s for the taking?

By Mike Regalado

MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 24: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins looks on in the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at FedExForum on March 24, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 24: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins looks on in the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at FedExForum on March 24, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 09: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins yells to his players during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wildcats won 78-67 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 09: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins yells to his players during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wildcats won 78-67 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Is the 2018-19 Pac-12 season UCLA’s for the taking? (cont.)

Yes, recruiting has been fantastic, in recent years (albeit there were concerns about not landing a top-tier point guard with his son Bryce Alford running the 1-spot, an issue many associated with nepotism) but the results have not translated to the win column. The 2016-17 season was by far Alford’s best since being in Westwood, but he could only manage a third place finish in-season and lost to Arizona in the conference tournament semifinals with a roster that included Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf, Bryce, Isaac Hamilton, Thomas Welsh and Aaron Holiday.

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Because of this, there is not a lot of confidence in the coach winning some hardware. But as previously stated, with Arizona and USC down and the other Pac-12 contenders suffering losses, UCLA could win the conference simply on talent alone.

Though that could buy Alford another year in Westwood, that is worrisome in regards to the seasons beyond 2018-19, especially if the rest of the Pac-12 starts to rebuild and become stronger.

UCLA is in good position to do some damage, but Alford has to do a total reassessment of his program, starting with the way he coaches, especially the defense. After the disastrous 2015-16 season when the Bruins finished 15-17, Alford started in a letter to the Bruin faithful that he would improve his team’s defense. He has not kept that promise.

This season, UCLA was 192nd out of 351 Division I teams in defensive efficiency. That is a decrease from 144th from the 2016-17 season when the Bruins finished 31-5.

The Bruins also have to figure out the issues with consistency. With all the talent they had this season, albeit with depth issues, the Bruins simply did not play to their potential in several games this season. Against the top three teams in the conference, UCLA went 4-1 (.800). Against the bottom eight (every team that finished under them in the standings they went 7-6 (.538).

Next: UCLA Basketball: The Top 10 Recruiting Classes Since 2000

Yes, the Pac-12 is UCLA’s for the taking, but it is going to be a lot hard than just showing up to games. They need to start fast, maintain their flow and finish strong. If that can happen, UCLA should run away with the regular season championship, the Pac-12 Tournament and possibly (finally) get past the Sweet Sixteen. But looking at the patterns Alford has set in the last five seasons, I would not place any bets on the Bruins winning anything just yet.