The Bruins' adjusted defensive efficiency stands at No. 122 in the nation, according to the metrics of Ken Pomeroy, four spots worse than it was during a 2015-16 season that ended without an appearance in the NCAA tournament.
The irony is that Alford had expected this team to be strong defensively. Then the Bruins went to China in November and three players were lost for the season after stealing merchandise from upscale stores at a mall.
"That's a lot of athleticism and length to lose in your defense overnight," Alford said Wednesday. "It's not an excuse, but you're asking me what happened [and] defensively we took on a whole 'nother look because we don't have the depth.