It seems like just a bad dream, but the Bruins woke up to
reality Saturday when the 2002-03 season ended. At the hands of
Oregon, UCLA lost in stunning fashion, 75-74 in the second round of
the Pac-10 tournament.
“We had Oregon beat, and we knew it too,” sophomore
Ryan Walcott said afterward. “We know we’re a good
team, and we should be going to the (NCAA) tournament, but our
record shows we can go nowhere else.”
UCLA can only look forward to 2003-04 and would probably like to
forget the past five months, its first losing season in 55 years.
At least it ended as expected:
“As you all know … Steve Lavin was released as head
coach of UCLA basketball,” Athletic Director Dan Guerrero
announced before a crowded Morgan Center on Monday.
November (0-2)
The Bruins’ woes began when San Diego upset then-No. 14
UCLA with a score of 86-81 in UCLA’s home opener. Jason Keep
dominated the inside game with 30 points. UCLA could not bounce
back either, as it lost to Duke, 84-73 over Thanksgiving break.
Still, no player seemed concerned.
“Obviously, we didn’t expect to be 0-2,”
Kapono said after the season start. “But we can’t panic
or get worried.”
December (2-3)
UCLA finally won. In home wins over Long Beach State and
Portland, the Bruins scored a combined 186 points, creating a
season-turnaround sentiment.
But the Bruins hit a wall, losing to Northern Arizona. It was
considered an upset too.
“It’s always tough when you think you’re the
better team overall,” senior Ray Young said after the
Northern Arizona game. “But we didn’t prove that on the
court, and that’s all that matters.”
The Bruins went on to lose to Kansas on the road and to Michigan
at home. Both games were on national television.
January (2-7)
For the first time in school history, UCLA didn’t win a
home game in January.
The team’s only two wins came on the road against the
Washington schools. Kapono posted a career-high 44 points against
Washington State, but both wins were expected.
The Bruins jumped out to 2-0 in the conference, but ended the
month with seven straight losses. The coaching staff tried to turn
things around, but little worked.
“When you’re struggling, the tendency is to try to
force (a win) and hope something positive happens,” Lavin
said. “We have to go back to work because we’re not
playing good basketball.”
Lavin’s coaching status was also put into question when
the team forfeited any notion of making the NCAA tournament. For
once, the Bruins were playing just to make the Pac-10
tournament.
February (3-5)
The losing streak continued through nine games. The team
struggled to finish most games, and the players talked about a need
to play the full 40 minutes.
Finally, against Georgetown on the road, UCLA won 71-70.
Yet, the hole was too deep, and UCLA found itself 2-11 in
conference play. Lavin flirted with resignation, and rumors
circulated about firing him midseason.
“If you produce, you get to coach,” Lavin said.
“If not, you’re unemployed.”
But, Lavin remained as head coach. When the season seemed
completely lost, UCLA put together a stunning 76-75 home upset over
then-No. 18 Cal.
It was their first win at Pauley all year, but memories were
erased days later with a loss to Stanford. The month ended with
little hope of making the Pac-10 tournament.
March (3-2)
The Bruins ended the season with a winning month, inspired by
the play of Young. Behind him, UCLA beat the Washington schools
again and squeezed into the eighth and final spot of the Pac-10
tournament.
This gave the Bruins their third opportunity to beat a No. 1
team.
UCLA had upset three No. 1 teams in three consecutive years, but
had failed to beat No. 1 Arizona, losing by a combined 71 points in
two games.
The Bruins seemed very confident. The team’s answer was
simple for winning:
“Because we can do it,” center Ryan Hollins said
before the tournament began.
“It is a one-game elimination. We will give it everything
we’ve got. We want it more than anything.”
And the third time was the charm as UCLA finally upset the top
ranked Wildcats, 96-89 in overtime.
It was great for the team’s morale, but it was not
enough.
Overall Record: (10-19)
The season saw a couple of big wins but many losses ““ the
second-most in UCLA history. UCLA stayed alive in many of the
games, but they gave up on most of them. Just like against Oregon,
UCLA was capable of winning, but they just did not finish.
Nor did they have any answers.