UCLA ends nonconference play at Alabama with third straight loss

Earlier this week, Steve Alford said plainly that UCLA is not ready to beat a top-10 team in mid-December. So how about an unranked team in late December?

After falling to then-No. 9 Gonzaga and No. 1 Kentucky earlier this month, the Bruins suffered their third straight loss on Sunday — a 56-50 loss at Alabama that featured yet another ugly start.

UCLA opened scoring with an alley-oop from Tony Parker to Norman Powell, but not much went well after that. The Crimson Tide went on a 20-3 run that finally ended nearly 15 minutes into the game, and took a 12-point lead into the break. Alabama guard Ricky Tarrant matched the Bruins on his own by scoring 17 points in the first half, and finished with a season-high 24 on 7 of 17 shooting. He also made 8 of 10 free throws, and had an assist and two steals.

Isaac Hamilton hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 48 with 2:17 left. UCLA gave up another basket, but freshman Kevon Looney made a key steal that led to a Hamilton put-back. Looney fouled out shortly afterward, leaving with four points, six rebounds and five steals.

That was where the Bruins’ hopes ended. Bryce Alford led UCLA with 16 points, but missed two 3-pointers in the final 46 seconds — including a poorly conceived, airballed three from the top of the arc. Down four points in the last 10 seconds, Hamilton dribbled the ball off his foot to commit his team’s 18th turnover of the night. The Bruins had just nine assists.

Senior Norman Powell, who had started the season as the team’s most complete scorer, scored just three points. He is 2 of 21 from the field in his last two outings.

Alabama made six of its final eight free throws to clinch the game.

UCLA will begin Pac-12 play next weekend at Colorado and No. 14 Utah. Dropping both would mark the program’s first five-game losing streak since 2009-10.