The Fearsome Threesome, Episode 10: Eat your Leafy Greens

Remember when Mom use to tell you to eat your vegetables? Well TJ Leaf ate his vegetables and some wheaties before the game against Washington State.

TJ Leaf led the way for the Bruins with a career high 32 points and 14 rebounds in a 95-79 victory in Pullman, Washington. This was just what the doctor ordered for the Bruins as they snap their two game losing streak that has led to them falling to No. 11 in the AP poll. Coming into Pullman with almost a week’s worth of rest, the Bruins were destined to win this game. This game was more of a measuring stick game to see how far the defense has progressed since their two defensive debacles. Holding Washington State to 79 points is… decent, it’s a start. If they can hold teams like Oregon, Arizona and USC to 79 points then they can easily score more than that on an average offensive day. But, those teams aren’t on the level of Washington State. Those teams are easily tournament teams and teams UCLA will have to go through for the Pac-12 title.

Lonzo Ball kept up his dream season by breaking the freshman assist record by adding seven assists and getting his season total up to 183 assist on the season. His draft stock his skyrocketed and him being a top five pick is almost assured. That being true, Steve Alford has to make this season his best coaching performance in his UCLA history. He has potentially a transcendent player in Ball, two more first round draft picks in TJ Leaf and Bryce Alford. If UCLA is going to make a run at the Pac-12 title or maybe even a National Title.

Steve Alford has to get more out of his players because that Pac-12 title run starts now. Their following three opponents are Washington, with the best player in the country and Lonzo Ball’s opponent for the top pick in the draft in Markelle Fultz. Oregon, the team that robbed a game from you and started the downward spiral that UCLA is currently facing. And lastly, Oregon State, who played the Bruins tough down the stretch and cannot be taken lightly.

All eyes will on UCLA vs Oregon and the Bruins have to make a statement in that game showing the rest of the conferences that they’re coming back for the title. A win puts them back in the hunt for the Pac-12 title; a loss potentially ends those dreams and is a major disappointment for how this team started.