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

UCLA basketball head coach Steve Alford has come under fire lately for underperfomring during his tenure, but there have been some highlight games. Go Joe Bruin looks at ten of his best.

The UCLA basketball team went through a wholesale change with the transition from Ben Howland to Steve Alford. They went from a slower-paced defensive minded team to an uptempo, heavy shooting squad.

RELATED: Worst case scenarios for the 2018-19 roster

Alford’s style has brought the best out of many offense-oriented players and has been the catalyst for several contests where the Bruins were clearly the dominant team. There were others that were flat out fantastic efforts that made for memorable victories. Here are the 10 best…

10. March 3, 2018 at USC, 83-72

Let us start off with one of the more recent ones. This past season, UCLA had some pretty good achievements, unfortunately they were overshadowed by the lack of achievement in an inconsistent season. Still there were a handful of games that Steve Alford could hang his hat on and beating USC on their home floor was an achievement as the Bruins swept the Trojans this past season.

UCLA was ending the regular season with a three-game road trip, one that could have got them close to capturing a Pac-12 title. Unfortunately, losses at Utah and Colorado killed that dream, but the Bruins could end on a good note.

With UCLA taking the first game in the season, USC was looking for some payback. The Trojans held the lead for extended lengths of time in both the first and second half, but with eight minutes left in the game, the Bruins tied it at 60 and continued on a 23-12 run, eventually beating their crosstown rivalry. Though it didn’t get them a championship, it once again gave them bragging rights.

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.

8. Feb 9, 2017 vs #5 Oregon 82-79

It was getting very close to the ned of the seasons and the #10 UCLA Bruins needed a big victory over the Oregon Ducks to not only stay in the race for the Pac-12 Championship, but to thicken up their resume for the NCAA Tournament.

Related Story: Is there an ultimatum for Steve Alford to keep his job?

UCLA had a solid non-conference schedule as they went 13-0, but things got a lot tougher in the Pac-12. By time the Bruins faced Oregon at Pauley Pavilion, they were 9-3 in conference play, with one of those losses coming at the hands of the Ducks up in Eugene.

The Ducks were on a roll, getting as high as the #5 ranking in the nation, but so were the Bruins, but in this game, Oregon was pushing around the Lonzo Ball-led Bruins. UCLA had trailed by as much as 19 in the first half, but then Bruins woke up.

Once again, in a rare performance, the Bruins started playing some defense and fought their way back into he game. With just over four-minutes left, Aaron Holiday hit a shot from downtown to give the Bruins the lead, which they held onto for the remainder of the game. Holdiat and Ball had both finished with 15 points each and a much needed victory over a top Pac-12 team.

7. Mar 19, 2017 vs Cincinnati, 79-67 (NCAA Tournament, 2nd Round)

The Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf-led UCLA Bruins had several notable victories. There aught to be as they won 31 games that season. One of the most memorable came during the NCAA Tournament. This was not just a great game for Steve Alford because of his notable offense, but because UCLA played some defense.

It’s well-known that Steve Alford has not done a fantastic job developing UCLA’s defense, but every now and then, things come together and he works his magic to put forth a strong defensive effort.

We saw that in the game against Cincinnati in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats were one of the toughest defensive minded teams in the tournament yet it was UCLA who was able to put a hand in their face and slow down a team that was projected to be a bracket buster. Unfortunately for them, that didn’t happen as UCLA clamped down and stopped Cincinnati in their tracks on their way to their third Sweet 16 in the Steve Alford era

6. Feb 25, 2017 at #4 Arizona 77-72

Probably one of the most controversial games in Steve Alford’s tenure came when the #5 Bruins marched into the McKale Center and shut down the streaking Arizona Wildcats. UCLA and Arizona have the biggest rivalry in Pac-12 hoops and the reason for that is because they have had epic battles throughout the years and this match up in early 2017 was no different.

With the Pac-12 Conference on the line, but the Bruins and Wildcats brought their “A” game during this contest. UCLa had led for most of the first half in a close game and then Arizona led for the start of the second, but UCLA kept up the fight and took back the lead permanently with 12 minutes left in the game. Arizona kept it close, but they had no answer for the offensive minded Bruins.

The controversial part in all of this is when Steve Alford called time out with 2.0 seconds left, up 77-72. Alford said it was to get his players focused. Unfortunately, Arizona head coach Sean Miller didn’t see it that way. He saw it was disrespectful to stop the game when it looked like UCLA had the game well in hand. Miller retaliated a few weeks later the Pac-12 Tournament . With 0.9 seconds left, Miller called timeout, up 86-75. Classy.

5. Jan 5, 2014 vs USC 107-73

Remember back in the fall of 2013, just before the initial seasons for both Andy Enfield and Steve Alford at USC and UCLA, respectively? Do you remember how Enfield fired a shot that October? What was it he said? “If you want to play slow, go to UCLA.” Yeah, that’s it.

Well UCLA didn’t exactly take kindly to that. When the two teams met for the first time during the 2013-14 season, they were both starting out their Pac-12 schedules and this one was booked for Pauley Pavilion. In that game, Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams led all scores with 23 and 21 points, respectively. The team as a whole took it right to the Trojans, blasting them out of the water with a 107-73 victory.

UCLA played like Cobra Kai, “strike first, strike card, no mercy.“ The Bruins absolutely tore apart their up-and-coming in-city rivals, sending a message that if they want to take L.A., UCLA is going to have something to do with it.

It also served as a reminder to Enfield to maybe tone down the shot calling.

4. February 8, 2018 at #13 Arizona 82-74

Steve Alford was in a bit of a pickle. His UCLA Bruins were down three guys because of a shoplifting incident in China, he had his team under performing and to make maters worse, they were going through a rough stretch during the Pac-12 schedule right before this game came up.

And yet some how they went down to Tucson, a place where they have not exactly been successful, and come out guns blazing.

In recent seasons, UCLA and Arizona, which owns the biggest rivalry in the Pac-12, have only played once instead of twice in the regular season. It is quite a travesty, but that is beside the point. With only one contest between them two this season, all eyes were on this game in Tucson.

This team, led by Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh, was fluctuating up and down during the season, mostly because those two were the only ones contributing, or at least contributed consistently. During this game at the McKale Center, the two veterans had help from their entire crew as every starter scored in double digits and beat the unbeatable Wildcats.

By the way, there were no late timeouts this time. Apparently Alford and Miller are passed that.

3. December 3, 2016 vs #1 Kentucky 87-77

There was definitely not a lot to write home about during this season where the Bruins went 15-17, except maybe for one game. UCLA’s shocking victory over the number one ranked Kentucky Wildcats at Pauley Pavilion.

On this Thursday night in Southern California, Bruin fans were just hoping that their team would put up a fight. UCLA was not exactly lighting the world on fire in their previous non-conference games, so not a lot was expected in this first of a home-and-home.

Fortunately for those Bruin fans that made the effort to Pauley for the “Gold Out” and those that actually managed to watch at home, they were treated to a show that injected a little bit of life back into the basketball program.

Thomas Welsh was on fire in this game as he put up 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but he was not alone as every starter scored in double digits. There was also a little bit of defense being played as the Bruins held UK to 32.0% shooting on the night.

Also, there was this little bit of magic from Prince Ali…

https://twitter.com/Purple32Gold/status/752220927123918848

The Bruins had just taken down the number one team in the nation. Nobody saw that coming. It was the first game out of three that the Bruins would take from the Wildcats over a four-year span, making it known that, as odd as it sounds, Steve Alford owns John Calipari.

2. March 15, 2014 vs #4 Arizona 75-71 (Pac-12 Tournament Championship)

The thing about the 2013-14 season is that aside from it being Steve Alford’s first year with UCLA, there were still a lot of players from the Ben Howland era. The lot of them were gritty, methodical players that were once in tuned to playing heavy defense, were now expected to play more up-tempo style of basketball. It worked as UCLA went 28-9 that season.

The best thing about that game was that not only did UCLA once again beat Arizona, but they beat them in one of the most dramatic Pac-12 Conference Tournament Championships in recent memory.

This was a dogfight. Alford wanted to make a statement in his first year and so far he was impressing it is for season. Although Sean Miller had been there a little longer and with the success he brought to Arizona, he was not about to relinquish it from some conference new comer.

This battle was back and worth and the Las Vegas crowd full of Pac-12 fans was on the edge of their seats. The game was essentially decided when Jordan Adams hit a crucial three with 45 seconds left in the game. It also ended with Norman Powell and David Wear knocking down game-sealing free throws in the last five seconds.

It was the first and only time Alford has won hardware in the five years he has been the coach of the Bruins.

1. December 3, 2016 at #1 Kentucky 97-92

#10 UCLA had faced Kentucky when they were not exactly an elite squad. Two years before, the Wildcats brutalized the Bruins in an 88-47 victory.

More from Go Joe Bruin

• UCLA Football: It’s time for the nation to meet Dante Moore
• UCLA Football: Where are they ranked heading into week 4
• UCLA Football: Position battle breakdown for Utah showdown
• UCLA vs. Utah: Location, time, prediction, and more
• UCLA Football: Highlights from Chip Kelly’s appearance on the Jim Rome Show

The next season, UCLA somehow managed to pull off a miracle at Pauley Pavilion as they took down #1 Kentucky. Both were teams that were not exactly striking fear into the hearts of their opponents. But then came the 2016-17 season.

This team that was led by Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf was different. They had the talent, attitude and style, but they were about to enter the lion’s den.

UCLA was on the second part of their home-and-home with Kentucky as the series shifted to Lexington, KY. Kentucky was looking for some payback after getting embarrassed in Westwood the year before, but it was not as easy as though might have thought.

Ball, who ended up having a fantastic season with UCLA, struggled a little bit in this game, but have no fear, Leaf was there. The other stud freshman took the team on his back and chipped 17 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Isaac Hamilton also contributed with 19 points. It was spectacular if you were a Bruin fan. It was utterly horrible if you were a Wildcat fan.

Not only did UCLA embarrass UK on their home court, they broke their 42-game home win streak. On top of that, 97 was the most points a Calipari-led Kentucky team had ever given up. Sure UCLA only won by five points, but it was the effort that counted and helped lead to Alford winning 3 out of five games against Calipari in four seasons.

Next: The UCLA Basketball All-Time Team

Once again, this is not a drill… STEVE ALFORD OWNS JOHN CALIPARI!