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Roster depth gives UCLA basketball coach Steve Alford more lineup options going into third season

LOS ANGELES – UCLA men’s basketball coach Steve Alford needs to adjust to his team’s depth in the coming weeks.

It’s hardly a troublesome development, though.

As the Bruins opened practice for the 2015-16 season Friday afternoon, Alford found himself leading a team with 11 scholarship players, the most in the third-year coach’s tenure and a group that presents him with a handful of lineup options to sort out before the regular-season opener on Nov.13 against Monmouth.

“We’re a little bit deeper than we have been,” Alford said.

UCLA, which is coming off consecutive Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament and finished 22-14 last season, lost two of its top players to the NBA.