UCLA's two best players couldn't play.
The Bruins' top two scorers couldn't take shots. Their best rebounder wasn't around to rebound. Their best defender wasn't there to defend.
Oddly it didn't seem to matter that guards Jordan Adams and Kyle Anderson were suspended hours for Thursday's Pac-12 Conference game against Oregon.
Sure the Bruins were handed the expected loss. But the Ducks had to extend themselves to the limit before taking an 87-83 victory in double overtime at Pauley Pavilion.
David Wear sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie the score, 71-71, at the end of regulation. Oregon's Jonathan Loyd missed a jumper at the end of overtime.
The Ducks finally outlasted the Bruins by making five of six free throws in the last 39 seconds of the second overtime.
Joseph Young had 26 points and Jason Calliste added 18 to give the Ducks (19-8 overall, 7-8 in Pac-12 play) a much-needed victory. But if the Bruins (21-7 and 10-5) were looking for a defining moment as they turn toward postseason play, this was pretty close.
UCLA rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second half to force overtime in a game the Bruins seemed to have little chance of winning from the start. Yet, it still left them empty.
"We didn't have any practice without those guys," David Wear said. "To put forth that effort and lose hurts."
Or, as Alford said, "Losing is not expected. We're UCLA."
It was expected Thursday.
The Bruins found out in the late afternoon that they would be without Adams and Anderson.
Alford and fellow freshman Zach LaVine plugged the holes in the lineup. Alford played 49 minutes, finishing with 31 points and six assists. LaVine played 48 minutes, contributing 18 points and eight rebounds.
"We knew the type of team we have from top to bottom," Alford said.
Still, the Bruins need some CPR from Norman Powell.
The Ducks seemed to have the game in hand with a 51-37 lead midway through the second half.
Powell scored nine consecutive points to help cut the deficit to six, 56-50, with five minutes left. He scored 13 of his 14 points in the second half.
The Bruins kept chasing, with Alford and LaVine making big baskets. It didn't seem to matter.
Young sank two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to give the Ducks a three-point lead. But someone neglected to cover David Wear on the inbounds play. Wear took a long pass from his brother Travis and buried a three-pointer from 30 feet at the buzzer.
"I started running down court and realized no one picked me up," David Wear said. "We made eye contact and he threw a perfect pass to line me up."
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