Holiday’s 3-pointer sends UCLA past Arizona State, 81-74

The junior guard scored 25 points and made five 3-pointers, and his 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds remaining broke a tie in the Bruins’ 87-84 upset victory over the No. 7 Arizona Wildcats at Pauley Pavilion on Thursday.

It’s not that he only does one thing, but if you’ve ever watched any Bryce Alford highlights, you know that, as they say, that boy can shoot.

UCLA (10-6, 1-2 in Pac-12 play) has knocked off Kentucky, Gonzaga and Arizona – all top-35 victories, according to KenPom – and lost to Wake Forest, Washington and Washington State, all of whom are outside of the top-100. Allen easily got by UCLA big man Thomas Welsh for a dunk after Trier hit a 3-pointer in the spurt.

Alford hit five 3-pointers and Hamilton added three of UCLA’s 11 – a season-high against the Wildcats.

“If Bryce Alford had a different last name and played for a different team”, said Arizona coach Sean Miller, “in my opinion, the accolades and respect he would get nationally would be far more than what he gets right now playing for his dad at UCLA“.

That hasn’t happened yet.

UCLA is nothing special, but Arizona also isn’t the overwhelming force that’s won the Pac-12 in each of the last two years. Gerry Blakes is averaging 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds, Savon Goodman is averaging 11 points and 7.1 rebounds, and Willie Atwood is averaging 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds. I thought the game was all but done, but the ‘Cats clawed their way back in the game and even managed to tie it up in the final minute.

Just eye-balling the plus/minus, the best lineup UCLA had in this game was the one that included Holiday, Ali, Bolden, and Welsh, and we don’t think that’s an accident. I was supposed to be the leader of this team, and I had a really poor trip….

Usually I highlight positive quotes but I will highlight two quotes from the two players who were the keys to the game, yet admit they did not have “great” games and are frustrated they only were “great” for a half.

The Illini made barely more than one-fourth of their shots in the first half and allowed the Spartans to connect on 61 percent of their shots before halftime. “He brought our energy back”, Alford said.

But Alford had recruited Bolden as the No. 32 prospect in the class of 2014. He told him he hadn’t played well.

The Bruins opened the second half with a 16-9 run to go ahead 59-45. The Bruins didn’t succumb to that sort of lackadaisical play, and that’s a credit to them, and hopefully a sign of some growth. Arizona (13-1, 1-0) entered the season as a presumptive Pac-12 favorite. “He can guard nearly any position”. Parker hit a jumper and flushed in a dunk. In spite of that, he’s become the most valuable member of UCLA’s bench.

Alford had six assists, four rebounds and no turnovers in 34 minutes.

You had the feeling Bryce Alford was going to get the ball. “That’s what we need Jonah to do, and to do more consistently”.