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UCLA Basketball: The 10 best games of the Steve Alford era

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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NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 23: Prince Ali #23 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Nick Richards #4 of the Kentucky Wildcats and Hamidou Diallo #3 during the first half of the CBS Sports Classic at the Smoothie King Center on December 23, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 23: Prince Ali #23 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Nick Richards #4 of the Kentucky Wildcats and Hamidou Diallo #3 during the first half of the CBS Sports Classic at the Smoothie King Center on December 23, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

9. December 23, 2017 vs #7 Kentucky 83-75 (CBS Sports Classic)

The 2017-18 season also brought the Bruins another victory over Kentucky and set in stone the fact that, and this is not a joke, Steve Alford owns John Calipari. In the last four seasons, UCLA has met Kentucky five times and the Bruins have beat them in three of those contests.

Last December was the second time the Bruins and Wildcats met in the CBS Sports Classic which oddly enough, the first time they met was in Steve Alford’s second season. In that game, Kentucky absolutely annihilated the Bruins, 83-44. If you recall, Kentucky held UCLA to their lowest halftime output ever as the Bruins could only put up seven points against the mighty Wildcats. It was 44-7 at halftime, and even though UK let up off the gas in the second half, the damage had been done and fans were not pleased.

UCLA fans have been a little bit happier with recent results. Things were a little bit different during this CBS Sports Classic in New Orleans as Kris Wilkes and Aaron Holiday led the Bruins to victory with 20 points each. The game started with everything bouncing UCLA’s way, but as they often do (though not nearly as much as they should), the Bruins were able to play some defense and hold back the Wildcats. Steve Alford owns John Calipari.