UCLA basketball: Jordan Adams, Kyle Anderson likely to start Sunday

Guards Jordan Adams and Kyle Anderson are expected to return toUCLA’s starting lineup against Oregon State on Sunday after serving one-game suspensions.

Coach Steve Alford wouldn’t guarantee their spots, saying, “We’ve still got a day of practice.” But he said the two would start “as long as practice goes well.”

The two missed Thursday’s game against Oregon, won by the Ducks in double overtime, 87-83, for violating unspecified team rules. In their absence, freshmen guards Bryce Alford and Zach LaVine played 49 and 48 minutes, respectively.

Alford had 31 points and six assists. LaVine had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists. The two shared the point guard spot with Anderson out.

Forward Travis Wear and guard Norman Powell played 43 minutes each. Forward David Wear played 35 minutes.

“It gives our guys confidence,” Steve Alford said. “Just the experience of playing those minutes gives us options. If Jordan or Kyle are not playing at the level we need them to play, and that has not been a problem,we have options.”

That could include freshman guard Noah Allen, who played 11 minutes, seven more than he had played in the previous 14Pac-12Conference games.

“He did a lot of good things,” Alford said. “It gives us confidence that we can go deeper into the bench.”

Still, it does not seem like Allen or forward Wanaah Bail will join the rotation full time.

“We’re late in year and we’ve settled into an eight-man rotation,” Alford said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t change that due to foul trouble. I don’t know if we’ll be playing 10 to 11 guys. We’ve settled in to getting those eight guys the minutes they deserve. Now if that starts to change, because of what happens in the game, [Allen and Bail] have warranted getting a chance.”