Alabama tied the game at 38 on three straight points by Hendrix and Jean Felix’s basket off a steal.

Then Farmar hit his fifth 3-pointer, launching UCLA on a 15-7 run that equaled its largest lead, 53-45, since the start of the game. Afflalo made two 3-pointers and converted a fastbreak layup off Collison’s steal in the spurt, when Hollins and Jermareo Davidson picked up their fourth fouls.

“We’re a team that needs to avoid foul trouble,” Gottfried said. “It hurt our ability to score. That was a big factor.”

Then, Farmar and Afflalo had to sit down with their fourth and third fouls, respectively, leaving Collison to run the offense.

The Bruins opened the game perfectly, hitting their first five shots, including three consecutive 3-pointers by Farmar, for an 11-4 lead.

But after Hollins dunked off Farmar’s alley-oop pass, the Crimson Tide switched to a zone that forced UCLA into a mistake-prone stretch. The Bruins ran the shot clock down to its final seconds while struggling to find a shot they liked, resulting in airballs and turnovers.

Alabama took its first lead midway through the half on an inside basket by Hendrix. Neither team led by more than four points before Steele hit two free throws for a 30-all tie at the break.

Dressed like he could staff a rental car counter, Gottfried wore his old-school red jacket again, but lost in it for the first time since donning it late in the regular season.

Gottfried started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UCLA, where he was on the staff for the Bruins’ record 11th national championship in 1995.

“I wouldn’t do anything differently,” he said. “I’d put the ball back in Ron Steele’s hands down two. He makes that shot all the time.”

The Bruins’ latest victory came in the same city where John Wooden retired after coaching UCLA to its 10th NCAA title in 1975.

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