UCLA coach Steve Alford and California coach Cuonzo Martin share a past coaching at Missouri State and playing for Big Ten teams Indiana and Purdue, respectively, during their college careers in the Hoosier State.
Coming off a split last weekend to start Pac-12 play, Alford and Martin now share the same objective -- stay in pace with the young conference race.
The fourth-ranked Bruins (14-1, 1-1 Pac-12) are coming off an 89-87 loss at Oregon and a 76-63 win over Oregon State. Alford called the victory over the Beavers a "must-win" situation after losing on a last-second 3-pointer made by Oregon guard Dillon Brooks.