UCLA Basketball has made headlines off the court this season but has yet to produce satisfactory results on the court. Their season isn’t doomed yet, though.
On Saturday, the UCLA Bruins reached a new low. Embarrassing effort and ball control were displayed in a 77-63 loss to a very solid Cincinnati Bearcats team. UCLA was not expected to struggle as much as they have so far this season and this loss to the Bearcats was the epitome of their season.
The loss dropped the Bruins to 7-3 on the season. By no means is that a disastrous record but Steve Alford was barely hanging on to his job last year before Lonzo Ball stepped into the fold. Expectations are always high in Westwood and they’re far from being met right now.
In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology, he listed the Bruins as part of the “Next Four Out” cluster, meaning the team needs to jump at least four other teams to be in his projected field. That was before the loss to Cincinnati.
A step back was in order after Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf bolted for the NBA Draft. A fringe NCAA Tournament campaign is not going to be acceptable, though. So how do the Bruins turn the page on their lackluster start to the season and kick it into high gear?
Here are three keys to UCLA turning around their season.