Busting Brackets
Fansided

UCLA Basketball: 3 keys to turning around the Bruins’ 2017-18 season

By Holden Walter-Warner

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 20: Holiday
KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 20: Holiday /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Hill of the UCLA Men’s Baskeball speaks to the media during a press conference at Pauley Pavilion on November 15, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Hill and two teammates have been suspended from the team after allegedly shoplifting while on a school trip to China. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Hill of the UCLA Men’s Baskeball speaks to the media during a press conference at Pauley Pavilion on November 15, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Hill and two teammates have been suspended from the team after allegedly shoplifting while on a school trip to China. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /

3. Make a decision on the suspensions

At first, indefinite suspensions for the three alleged shoplifters made all the sense in the world. They needed to be away from the game they loved until they understood the consequences of their mistakes.

One of the three left the school altogether, while Cody Riley and Jalen Hill remain in suspension purgatory. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a decision on their suspensions could be made in the next week. It would be a mistake if that wasn’t the case.

The Bruins look exhausted night after night, with their bench growing increasingly thin due to the suspensions. Any injury could leave the team with a core rotation of just seven players. Most teams in the country would struggle to cope with that.

Riley and Hill were both four-star recruits in a class. They clearly have a lot to contribute when they’re on the court and can solve the depth/exhaustion problems. If they’re going to remain suspended for an indefinite or lengthy period of time, UCLA needs to figure out how to fill out minutes or spread them out in a way that protects players from wearing out during the second half of games.

The shoplifting incident has dragged on UCLA’s season long enough. Alford needs to make a final call on the situation and put it to bed once and for all.

Next: Key storylines for December

Overall, UCLA is currently in trouble. The Pac-12 is not incredibly great this season and could end up sending only three or four teams to the Big Dance. Head coach Steve Alford will need to get this team going in a hurry in order to make a tournament run.

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