LAWRENCE, Kan. — With the holiday season ““ and another
embarrassing loss ““ thrust upon them, the Bruins’
Christmas wishes are starting to look unrealistic, even for
never-say-never UCLA.
A 87-70 loss to No. 19 Kansas leaves UCLA a disheveled 2-4, and
the Bruins’ complete lack of execution in the first half is
of profound concern. The Bruins made just one field goal in the
game’s first seven minutes and appeared rattled from the
outset by a packed-to-the-rusting-rafters Allen Fieldhouse
crowd.
“We were fighting uphill the entire game,” UCLA head
coach Steve Lavin said.
And if not for a four-minute stretch of spirit that withered the
Kansas lead from 21 to 11, the margin wouldn’t have been
nearly as close as an already disheartening 17 points.
So the question ““ which is becoming as much a December
tradition as eggnog and mistletoe ““ is: which UCLA team will
show up for the rest of the season?
Or, better yet, does Hyde even have a Jekyll side this year?
“We’ll be all right,” guard Ryan Walcott
says.
“It’s not time to panic yet,” guard Ray Young
says.
During Steve Lavin’s six turbulent years as the headman in
Westwood,
comments like Walcott’s and Young’s actually
haven’t sounded too
preposterous. Indeed, it was a loss not unlike Saturday’s
in Lawrence ““ Dec. 23, 2000 to North Carolina ““ that
spurred one of UCLA’s best Pac-10 runs in recent memory.
On that Saturday afternoon in Pauley Pavilion, Lavin instituted
a full- court press that nearly brought the Bruins back from down
20. UCLA rode its high-tempo madness to a 14-4 conference mark and
yet another Sweet 16 berth.
“Partly because of my six years of experience as coach
here, I know that we always play our best basketball late in the
year,” Lavin said.
But in this season of Northern Arizona and San Diego upsets,
UCLA might need its best basketball just to earn a berth in the
NCAA Tournament.
Nonconference games against Michigan, St. John’s and
Georgetown remain, along with 18 Pac-10 games. Even if one gives
all three nonconference tilts to the Bruins, they’d still
need at least 12 wins in Pac-10 play (including the Pac-10
Tournament) to leave them with a very shaky 17 victories.
“We should be disappointed. We should be
discouraged,” Lavin said.
He followed up the comment in classic Lavin fashion, with words
of
encouragement. Apparently, he wasn’t alone.
“Congratulations to them because it was a game they could
have just mailed in,” Kansas head coach Roy Williams said.
“Steve’s club didn’t and they competed. When you
give up 20 offensive rebounds you usually don’t win the
game.”
Indeed, the Bruins’ effort on the glass was impressive,
especially
considering how badly they had been overmatched down low in
their three losses. And if their press stays as effective as it was
against a well- disciplined, talented team like Kansas’, they
might be dangerous.
“We’re gonna come back, start practicing and figure
this thing out,” Young said.
If history is any guide, it will happen. Whether it happens
Christmas Day, New Year’s Day or April Fool’s Day might
be what matters, though.