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| UCLA's Jordan Adams (Numero 3) shoots over Alabama's Retin Obasohan on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. STEPHEN DUNN, GETTY IMAGES |
By BRIAN WHITEHEAD / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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The Bruins improve to 11-2 with a hard-earned victory over the Crimson Tide.
LOS ANGELES – UCLA, like any tradition-rich college basketball program, is not judged in March by victories in November and December.
That’s not to say nonconference wins aren’t important, of course. They’re merely used as a springboard to the program’s greater goal.
UCLA's Jordan Adams (right) shoots over Alabama's Retin Obasohan on Saurday at Pauley Pavilion.
STEPHEN DUNN, GETTY IMAGES
It wasn’t easy, but the Bruins captured their 11th victory on Saturday, defeating Alabama, 75-67, at Pauley Pavilion.
“To be able to take a really good shot, our guys did a tremendous job,” Coach Steve Alford said. “ … Our attention to what our guys did defensively was the difference in the game.”
Kyle Anderson wrapped up a brilliant December with 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Jordan Adams added 14 points.
“We’ve made very big improvements over these last 80 minutes (of game time),” Anderson said. “We’re where we want to be.”
UCLA (11-2) trailed at the half for the first time this season. Three field goals out of the break, however, erased that deficit. Alabama (5-7) regained the lead shortly before the Bruins pulled even at 43.
UCLA then scored on seven of eight possessions.
“We’re a pretty good spurt-and-run team,” Alford said. “But the better you become defensively, the more you stay away from those runs.”
It was tied at 67 with 90 seconds remaining, and then Tony Parker hit two free throws to give UCLA the lead for good.
“It came down to who made the plays,” said Parker, who finished with 16 points. “I do whatever I can for my teammates. … I played my role tonight, just playing hard.”
Anderson had a hand in UCLA’s first seven field goals, and the Bruins held an early 20-9 lead. Alabama, however, turned eight scoreless UCLA possessions in to nine points.
Trevor Releford hit two 3-pointers later in the half, and the Tide ultimately nabbed a 34-33 halftime lead.
“We needed this,” Alford said. “We’re getting ready to get into January, February, March, so we needed somebody to really give us a good shot, especially here at home.
“It was good that we had to get into a possession-by-possession game.”
UCLA begins defense of its Pac-12 regular-season championship Jan. 5 at noon against rival USC.
“Everything that’s behind us is behind us,” Adams said. “ … We’re starting Pac-12 play on a two-game winning streak, and we’re trying to improve on that, too.”
Releford finished with a season-high 34 points.
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