UCLA coach DeShaun Foster stands on the sidelines during a loss to Indiana on Sept. 14.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Foster said his team’s execution problems have to do with players getting too excited and trying to do too much, especially early in the game. UCLA has been outscored 34-7 in the first half. Coaches have tried to get players to relax.

“Let the game come to you,” Foster said of his advice. “Don’t play out of character, you know what I mean? That’s basically what we’re trying to do, is let the guys calm down, because once we calm down, we can execute.”

According to Havili Kaufusi, part of the problem is that every moment is made bigger than it needs to be.

“These guys, they know how important, how big every game is and they don’t want to ruin it for their teammates, they don’t want to ruin it for the coaching staff, because we know how much work we put in,” Havili Kaufusi said. “That’s why we as players have to encourage each other more, that every game, we really dreamed of this as kids and just use that, like go out there and have fun and just execute, man, just play for each other, I think that’s the biggest thing.”