UCLA ends losing streak with 86-81, double-overtime win over Stanford

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It’s uncertain if UCLA center Tony Parker will play on Thursday against Utah. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA guard Isaac Hamilton draws three Stanford players to him on a drive down the lane in the second overtime just before he passes to teammate Tony Parker (not pictured) for a dunk. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA players and coaches on the bench react to Tony Parker’s dunk in the second overtime. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA guard Isaac Hamilton, left, and forward Kevon Looney, right, trap Stanford guard Chasson Randle in overtime. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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Centers Tony Parker of UCLA and Grant Verhoeven of Stanford reach for a loose ball. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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UCLA’s Bryce Alford drives toward the basket followed by Stanford’s Chasson Randle. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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Stanford forward Rosco Allen shoots between UCLA guard Noah Allen, bottom, forward Gyorgy Goloman, right, and center Thomas Welsh. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)

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UCLA center Tony Parker grabs a rebound from Stanford center Stefan Nastic. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)

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Stanford center Stefan Nastic’s shot is blocked by UCLA center Tony Parker. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)

By Zach Helfand

Jan. 8, 2015 10:50 PM PT

After UCLA’s first win in 29 days, UCLA Coach Steve Alford lingered on the court.

He high-fived Gyorgy Goloman, who was needed in surprise duty in overtime. He embraced Kevon Looney, who brought UCLA back from 14 points down. He ruffled the hair of Bryce Alford, whose late three-pointer sent the game into two overtimes.

It had been a long, five-game losing streak for the Bruins. Steve Alford had been counting the days. So the comeback, double-overtime win over Stanford, 86-81, meant more.

“It was player after player after player coming up with incredible play after incredible play,” Steve Alford said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, 24 years, and been proud of an awful lot of teams after certain games, but no more any prouder than this group of men.”

Rarely does a midseason game among unranked teams evoke that type of response, but then again, rarely has UCLA (9-7, 1-2 in the Pac-12) been on a streak this rough. On Thursday, the Bruins finally broke out of troubling tendencies and rediscovered their shooting.

Bryce Alford, the coldest shooter of all, made the biggest shot of the game. Down two with about eight seconds left in the first overtime, Steve Alford called up a play. There were several looks, but, he told his team, if the three-pointer is there, take it.

“I was just praying that we got a shot,” Bryce Alford said.

Never mind that he had missed his previous 19 shots entering the game. He caught the inbound and fired a three, which splashed through.

Down one, Stanford’s Chasson Randle drove the length of the court and drew a foul on Bryce Alford after minimal contact. Alford, who had fouled out, looked incredulous.

Randle was the Pac-12’s best free-throw shooter, but late in regulation, he had split an important pair. Now, he made the first, but, again, his second attempt hung on the front rim and dropped out. The game went to a second overtime, where UCLA’s defense suffocated Stanford.

“It was big time,” Tony Parker said. “We knew we had to get a win.”

The Bruins had trailed by 14 with 10 minutes left in regulation. Stanford (10-4, 2-1) had made a slew of three-pointers — 15 of 31 overall — and Randle connected on seven of 13 three-pointers for 32 points.

But then Looney took over. He hit a three-pointer, converted a three-point play and later took the ball the length of the court for a slam. He finished with 27 points and 19 rebounds, both season highs.

An Alford three-pointer gave UCLA a one-point lead before Randle’s split free throws tied the game at 66 heading into overtime.

Alford shot five for 13 and had 15 points. Parker added 22 points and 12 rebounds.

In the first overtime, Goloman was needed to replace Norman Powell, who had fallen hard twice on his hip. Steve Alford said Powell begged to be back in the game.

“I didn’t want to do it,” Alford said.

But he relented after Bryce Alford fouled out.

The mood afterward was buoyant. Steve Alford was congratulated on his 500th career win. Looney and Parker played around with Bryce Alford’s microphone during the news conference. Parker praised “Ms. Tanya,” Steve Alford’s wife, for her husband’s outfit.

The players, it seemed, were releasing a month’s worth of anxiety.

“It was must-win,” Looney said.

And for the first time in 29 days, UCLA did.