UCLA Basketball: Alabama Game Thread -- Can the Bruins Bounce Back?

The 8-4 UCLA Bruins travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the 8-3 Alabama Crimson. Tip-off is set for 3:30 PM PT. You can catch the game on ESPNU. Rich Hollenberg and Darrin Horn will call the game (Horn is a former coach at South Carolina - obviously a space-filler game for tWWL). You can also listen on Tunein Radio or 570 AM. Follow along with live stats here.

Read our previews, Part 1 and Part 2, and the official guide at uclabruins.com (from which you can click to their exhaustive stats and tidbits).

This is the Bruins first true road game and last OOC game before conference play starts Friday and Colorado. We're looking to see if the Bruins can bounce back from the Kentucky debacle. It's a critical game for UCLA's resume and morale.

Although Alabama is a 4.5 favorite, this is a winnable game for the Bruins. Alabama played a close game at Wichita State, but they almost lost at home to cupcake Appalachian State two games later. Similar to UCLA, the Tide is integrating six new players, including three new starters, and it hasn't gone smoothly. Trevor Releford, who torched the Bruins for 34 points last year, has graduated, and the defense isn't what it used to be. Alabama does, however, return this year's all-everything man Levi Randolph, and they go nine deep.

Enjoy the game thread with your fellow BNers and Bruins.