UCLA men’s basketball needs a miracle to prolong dismal season

UCLA men’s basketball made history Saturday night, but not in a way befitting the team’s storied past.

By falling 79-70 to Stanford, UCLA lost its 10th conference game of the season and clinched a losing Pac-12 record. The Bruins have managed this particular feat – a losing conference season – only four times since 1948, and this year’s record most likely means the team will not be selected to the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA has missed March Madness before. Ben Howland’s Bruins failed to attain a bid to the Big Dance in 2012. That team, however, finished 11-7 in Pac-12 play – well above .500. UCLA also didn’t make the tournament in 2010, 2004 or 2003. The Bruins went 8-10 in conference in 2010, 7-11 in 2004 and 6-12 in 2003.

Up until that point, the Bruins had strung together 54 straight seasons at .500 or better from 1949 to 2002. UCLA went undefeated in conference nine times during that period, including four perfect overall seasons.

“We’ve just got to understand and really know that there’s a tradition of winning here,” said sophomore center Thomas Welsh. “We’ve just got to do whatever we can to get that done. Obviously what happened happened. We just need to learn from it now and just get ready for the next one.”

Just two short years ago, UCLA was the Pac-12 conference champion. Last season, the Bruins competed in their second consecutive Sweet Sixteen. This year, the team has little guarantee of any postseason berth.

“I know, from a guy who’s been here for two years, (we’ve) basically just won – (we’ve) been to the Sweet Sixteen twice,” said junior guard Bryce Alford. “Being in this position is hard. It’s very, very hard.”

This year being the 50th anniversary of Pauley Pavilion, UCLA set a goal at the season’s onset not to lose a home game. With two matchups in Pauley remaining on the schedule, the Bruins have lost four times on Nell and John Wooden Court – including the season-opening defeat at the hands of Monmouth.

“We want to go home and protect home, win both of the Oregon games and try to get some momentum going for the Pac-12 tournament. We know how big that is,” Bryce Alford said following the Stanford loss.

Oregon comes to town Wednesday looking to clinch a conference title. Thwarting such an effort could at least be a moral victory for the beleaguered Bruins.