LOS ANGELES – Steve Alford carried a slight grin out of the corner of his mouth midway through his weekly gathering with reporters at Pauley Pavilion.
The UCLA coach was asked about his team’s latest two-game slide and its continuing defensive issues, before a question came up about how he might assuage growing fan frustration.
“Well, we’re not happy, so I’m right there with them,” Alford said. “I don’t think there’s a player in the locker room or a coach on the staff who is happy.”
In December, UCLA, riding high after upsets of Gonzaga and Kentucky, looked well on its way to a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and the third time under Alford.