ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 15 Power Rankings
By Trevor Booth
T-11: UCLA Bruins (12-12, 5-6 Pac-12) LW: 5
Déjà vu in Westwood?
During a Jan. 10 meeting, UCLA trailed Oregon on the road by 17 points in the second half. The Bruins trimmed the deficit to nine with one minute remaining before mounting a historical comeback, forcing overtime and stunning the Ducks.
On Saturday, UCLA led Utah by 22 points with 12:10 to play. Six minutes later, it was still a 17-point hole for the Utes. But, interim coach Murry Bartow’s team was outscored 23-9 over the final 2:45, including a game-winning 3-pointer by senior guard Parker van Dyke as time expired.
For a program already lacking stability, that type of loss is devastating in that all confidence is erased. But to take place in Pauley Pavilion? That all but summarizes the state of the UCLA Bruins.
As they continue to free fall, it is hard to overlook that this was once a ranked team, opening the season at No. 21 in the Associated Press poll.
Between the firing of coach Steve Alford and inconsistency on the floor, the reset button is about to be pressed. However, some of the team’s core are unlikely to return if a full-scale rebuild is initiated.
Sophomore guard Kris Wilkes will likely forego his final two years of eligibility and make the jump to the NBA while it would not be a surprise to see sophomore guard Jaylen Hands or freshman center Moses Brown go through the NBA Draft process as well.
While Saturday’s loss might have marked the beginning of the end for Hands and Wilkes, the duo will play seven more Pac-12 games and the conference tournament in a Bruins uniform to boost their respective stocks, starting with a road trip to California and Stanford.