Those close to Ben Howland are saying what the UCLA coach has
denied all season. Losing is starting to wear him out. A weary
Howland was typically optimistic when he spoke to reporters after
the Bruins lost to Notre Dame Saturday. But behind closed doors,
players say that UCLA’s losing ways are taking their toll on
the first-year basketball coach. “It eats him up
inside,” senior Jon Crispin said. “The way we’re
playing is not an image of him. He is all about diving on the floor
and making the hustle play ““ stuff that we’re not
doing. This team is supposed to be a mirror of him, and it’s
not.” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey, who has matched wits with
Howland in the Big East for the past several years, echoed
Crispin’s sentiments. “I spoke to him after the game
and told him to hang in there,” Brey said. “And then I
told his assistants to keep him loose.” Brey did say that
Howland will have the Bruins back among college basketball’s
upper crust, although it may take a couple more years. “Then
we won’t play them anymore,” he joked.
END OF THE ROAD: Saturday likely marked the
final home game of Crispin’s up-and-down two-year career. The
senior guard, who transferred from Penn State after the 2000-2001
season, started for just the third time as a Bruin Saturday,
tallying three points on 1-for-3 shooting. Just being on the court
at all was rewarding for Crispin, who until recently had barely
played all season. Another loss, however, was not the ending he had
hoped for. “The toughest thing is having to be a part of such
a down season,” Crispin said. “I left (Penn State,
where) I got all the points and shots. I wanted to be a part of
something special.” Junior Dijon Thompson did not start for
the first time all season, relinquishing his shooting guard spot to
Crispin on senior day.
HARRICK RETURNS: Former coach Jim Harrick, now
a scout for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, was present for the
Bruins’ last two games. He was also at the Sports Arena last
week, sporting his 1995 NCAA championship ring and presumably
scouting UCLA’s T.J. Cummings and USC’s Desmon
Farmer.