For the third time in seven tries, UCLA opened its season with a loss. In one of the ugliest performances of Steve Alford’s three-year tenure, the Bruins choked away a double-digit lead against Monmouth in less than nine minutes — then fell in overtime in an 84-81 decision.

“Pretty disgusted in the way that we played, to say the least,” said junior guard Bryce Alford.

Added senior big man Tony Parker: “They played way harder than us.”

Both pointed to turnovers as the main cause, with the Bruins coughing up the ball 23 times to spur 23 points for the Hawks.

“It was a game where the whole time, we couldn’t control the ball,” Alford said. “A lot of that’s on me. … I can’t have a five-assist, four-turnover kind of night. That’s not something I can do.

“As a leader, as a point guard, as a guard that’s been here for three years now, I can’t have games where, as a team, we have 23 turnovers. That’s not acceptable.”