UCLA’s Hamilton aims to ‘bounce back’ from shooting slump

A lost weekend in Oregon is nothing new for Isaac Hamilton. It almost seems like part of his itinerary.

The UCLA senior guard went scoreless against Oregon State on Friday, missing all 10 shots (including five three-pointers) while grabbing three rebounds.

It was almost a replica of Hamilton’s statistics from a game against the Beavers on the same court in January 2015, when he went scoreless, missing all 10 shots, including five three-pointers, while grabbing three rebounds. (He did notch four assists Friday; he had none in the 2015 game.)

Hamilton’s struggles two days earlier against Oregon — two points on one-for-six shooting — were also reminiscent of a road game against the Ducks in January 2015, when he scored two points on one-for-seven shooting.

“I guess I don’t like Oregon as much,” Hamilton joked Tuesday.

Hamilton’s recent off nights were part of a deepening slump that has become the worst stretch of his three college seasons. He has averaged 8.6 points per game while making only two of 20 three-pointers (10%) over his last five games. It’s unusual territory for the top returning scorer in the Pac-12 Conference, who scored in single digits only three times all of last season and never went scoreless.

“It’s a slump,” said Hamilton, who is averaging 14.7 points this season while making 46.5% of his shots and 36.3% of his three-pointers, “but it’s nothing I can’t bounce back from.”

UCLA Coach Steve Alford noted that the Bruins beat Oregon State and nearly knocked off Oregon even with Hamilton making a combined one of 16 shots, meaning there was less pressure for him to carry the team than in previous seasons.

Bruins guard Bryce Alford said Hamilton was taking extra shots in practice to regain his rhythm, but the biggest hurdle could be mental for a player who is so meticulous about everything he does that he’s known for refolding the towels in his hotel room.

“He just kind of needs to let that towel unfold a little bit and throw it to the ground and just let it go,” Steve Alford said, “but he’s such a neat, organized guy that sometimes mentally that can mess with you. We’re just trying to relax him because we know how important Isaac is to our team.”

See you next season?

Steve Alford said sophomore guard Prince Ali and sophomore forward Alex Olesinski, who recently returned to practice from serious injuries, were both expected to announce in the coming days whether they would redshirt after missing nearly half the season.

Neither player would likely play a large role should he return given the success of the current rotation, but each could be a significant contributor next season based on the expected departures of teammates.

Steve Alford said the players could reverse any decision to redshirt based on injuries to others.

“I would never do that as something where I’m saying, ‘Hey, you’ve gotta do that,’ ” Alford said, “It would always be a player’s decision to do that.”

Etc.

UCLA guard Lonzo Ball on younger brother LaMelo’s halfcourt shot for Chino Hills High that became a social media sensation: “Melo, that’s just how he is. A crazy player, man.” LaMelo Ball, a sophomore, has committed to the Bruins. … UCLA fell two spots, to No. 4, in the Associated Press ranking.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch