2016–17 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team


The 2016–17 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bruins were led by fourth-year head coach Steve Alford and played their home games at Pauley Pavilion as members in the Pac-12 Conference. They rode their offense to a 28–3 regular season record, averaging 91 points per game with a 53 percent field goal percentage. The talented squad featured five future players in the National Basketball Association, including three eventual first-round draft picks.
UCLA entered the season ranked No. 16 in the preseason. After starting 13–0, the first time they were undefeated in non-conference play since they won a national championship in 1994–95, they moved up to No. 2 in the country. However, the Bruins suffered their first defeat in an 89–87 loss to No. 21 Oregon in the conference opener. UCLA won their next six games before losing at home to No. 14 Arizona for their first loss of the season at Pauley Pavilion. The Wildcats exposed the Bruins weaknesses on defense, which had to that point been obscured by their potent offense. They suffered their second consecutive defeat after falling to USC, who won for the fourth straight time in their crosstown rivalry. They won their last nine games of the regular season to tie the school record for most regular season wins.
The Bruins struggled uncharacteristically with their offense during the Pac-12 Tournament. They beat USC 76–74 while shooting just 41.2 percent before shooting a season-low 40.7 percent in an 86–75 loss to Arizona in the semifinals. UCLA entered the NCAA Tournament as a third seed in the South region. They advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in four years, where they lost to 86–75 Kentucky.

Previous season

The Bruins finished the season 15–17 overall; and 6–12 in the conference. During the season, the Bruins were invited and participated in the Maui Invitational in Maui, Hawaii. UCLA defeated Cal Poly and UNLV but lost against Kansas and Wake Forest to earn 4th place. UCLA also lost to North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic in Brooklyn, New York. In the postseason, the Bruins lost to USC in the first round of the 2016 Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in Paradise, Nevada.

Off-season

Departures

2016 Recruiting class

Roster

!colspan=12 style=""| Australia Tour
!colspan=12 style=""| Exhibition
!colspan=12 style=""| Non-conference regular season
!colspan=12 style=";"| 2016–17 Pac-12 Conference men's basketball season|
!colspan=12 style=";"| 2017 Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament|
!colspan=12 style=";"| 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament|

Rankings

*AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings

Player statistics

PlayerGPGSMPGFGM-FGA3PM-3PAFTM-FTARPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Bryce Alford191933.3105–21065–13963–772.62.30.70.117.8
Prince Ali000.00–00–00–00.00.00.00.00.0
Ike Anigbogu14013.130–480–07–163.60.30.11.54.8
Lonzo Ball191935.496–18146–10740–595.58.01.80.914.6
György Golomon18412.028–460–114–233.10.90.50.93.9
Isaac Hamilton191930.2104–23140–11319–253.92.90.80.114.1
Aaron Holiday19026.681–16333–7256–703.14.51.40.113.2
T.J. Leaf191930.6132–20620–3935–578.92.70.81.616.8
Ikenna Okwarabizie703.40–00–01–20.90.00.10.00.1
Alex Olesinski000.00–00–00–00.00.00.00.00.0
Jerrold Smith702.12–40–01–20.00.10.30.00.7
Thomas Welsh151524.767–1230–024–248.50.60.31.910.5
Alec Wulff702.12–52–50–00.10.10.10.00.9
Isaac Wulff402.32–20–01–20.50.00.00.01.3

Honors

Preseason award watchlists