2014–15 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
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The 2014–15 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bruins were led by second-year head coach Steve Alford and played their home games at Pauley Pavilion as members in the Pac-12 Conference. The team featured two All-Pac-12 performers in Norman Powell and Kevon Looney. Although the freshman Looney was seen as a potential NBA lottery pick, the senior Powell became the Bruins' most consistent performer.[1] After numerous non-conference losses to start the season, UCLA finished in fourth place (11–7) in the Pac-12. They earned a No. 11 seed in the NCAA tournament, and advanced to the Sweet 16, becoming the lowest-seed UCLA team to ever reach the regional semifinals.[2] The program produced its 49th 20-win season.
2014–15 UCLA Bruins men's basketball | |
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NCAA tournament, Sweet Sixteen | |
Conference | Pac-12 Conference |
Record | 22–14 (11–7 Pac-12) |
Head coach |
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Assistant coaches |
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Home arena | Pauley Pavilion |
Seasons |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 5 Arizona † | 16 | – | 2 | .889 | 34 | – | 4 | .895 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 25 Oregon | 13 | – | 5 | .722 | 26 | – | 10 | .722 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 19 Utah | 13 | – | 5 | .722 | 26 | – | 9 | .743 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UCLA | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 22 | – | 14 | .611 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stanford | 9 | – | 9 | .500 | 24 | – | 13 | .649 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 9 | – | 9 | .500 | 18 | – | 16 | .529 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon State | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 17 | – | 14 | .548 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
California | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 18 | – | 15 | .545 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 16 | – | 18 | .471 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington State | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 13 | – | 18 | .419 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington | 5 | – | 13 | .278 | 16 | – | 15 | .516 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
USC | 3 | – | 15 | .167 | 12 | – | 20 | .375 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† Pac-12 Tournament winner Rankings from AP poll |
The Bruins began the season 4–0 and ranked No. 22 before losing two of three games at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.[3][4] According to some pundits, the Bruins had the toughest non-conference schedule in the Pac-12. However, it did not net any signature wins, losing to ranked North Carolina, Gonzaga, and Kentucky.[5] Beginning with their December loss at home to Gonzaga, the Bruins lost five consecutive games, their longest streak since 2009–10.[6] Losses included a 39-point defeat to No. 1 Kentucky—they fell behind 24–0 and trailed 41–7 at halftime—and by 32 points against Utah.[7][8][9] After Gonzaga, UCLA went 25 days without a home game, the longest in the school's history since 1972–73.[10] They recovered to win eight of their next 11.[5] After getting swept in a road trip to Arizona, UCLA closed out the regular season with three straight home wins to finish undefeated (9–0) at home in the conference for the first time since 2006–07.[11] However, UCLA had few wins against notable teams during the season,[12][13] and experts widely predicted that they needed a strong performance in the Pac-12 tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament.[14] The Bruins went 1–1, and were eliminated by Arizona. Although they were 0–2 for the season against the Wildcats, both games were competitive until the end.[12]
Proving most major projections wrong, UCLA received an invite to the NCAA tournament, earning a No. 11 seed.[12][15] Selection committee chairman Scott Barnes cited the Bruins' strength of schedule and improved play, even in their tournament loss to Arizona, as factors in their inclusion.[15][16] In the Bruins' opener, Bryce Alford was credited with the game-winning three-point field goal after a goaltending call with 13 seconds remaining in a 60–59 win over sixth-seeded SMU. He finished with a game-high 27 points and made 9 of 11 three-point attempts.[17] They advanced to the Sweet 16, where they lost again to Gonzaga, 74–62.[18]