Forget about the Pac-12 Tournament for a second — when UCLA struggled with USC and lost to Arizona in the semifinals — and you just might be looking at the hottest team and the best offense in the country.
The Bruins have the nation’s third-best offensive efficiency (scoring 122.7 points per 100 possessions) — and run at the 13th-fastest tempo.
They’re powered by the uncannily sharp passing and basketball IQ of point guard Lonzo Ball — who suffered a thumb injury while struggling somewhat against Arizona last Friday — and can hit 3s from four positions.
They established all that offense early, even beating Kentucky 97-92 at Rupp Arena on Dec. 3, but the key addition since consecutive losses in late January (to Arizona and USC) has been their defense.
It’s not great but improved … and maybe good enough to support that offense all the way to Glendale.
“Our defense has been on the rise since the beginning of February,” Alford said. “We’ve changed our mindset on that end and figured out how to get stops when we need them. We might not be a team that shuts you down all game, but when we need to get stops, we get stops.”
