The last time the UCLA campus was abuzz with Bruin basketball,
it didn’t last very long. Less than one week after returning
from an encouraging late-January weekend in Arizona, UCLA stumbled
at home against Stanford and California, draining some of the
enthusiasm that had been built by its quick start to conference
play. Now that the Bruins are on the verge of earning an NCAA
Tournament bid, their task is simple as they prepare for their
final two regular season games of the season against Oregon State
and Oregon. “This time we have to stay focused,” UCLA
guard Arron Afflalo said. “We’re not going to come into
(the Oregon State) game overconfident especially against a team
that beat us already. It’s different from that standpoint. We
hadn’t played Cal or Stanford yet. We know what we’re
getting into this weekend, and we’ll be prepared.”
Concentrating on Thursday night’s match-up with the
fifth-place Beavers instead of the numerous NCAA Tournament
scenarios will be a test of the young Bruins’ focus. Friends,
classmates and alumni have been murmuring about the postseason
since UCLA’s impressive victory at Notre Dame on Sunday. The
challenge for the Bruins will be to keep that from becoming a
distraction. “We’ve just got to stay focused and
concentrate on what we’re doing as a team,” senior
Dijon Thompson said. “If we do that we’ll be
alright.” Perhaps the only person from which the Bruins
won’t have to fend off questions about the postseason is UCLA
coach Ben Howland, who refuses to allow the specter of the NCAA
Tournament to overshadow this week’s games. “I
don’t have to bring it up,” Howland said. “My
whole job is to make sure they’re focused on the task at hand
because it’s being brought up every time they talk to
anybody.”
SHIPP HURTING: Though Josh Shipp’s sprained right ankle is
still tender, UCLA coach Ben Howland made it clear he expects the
freshman guard to be in the starting lineup Thursday against Oregon
State. “There’s no way we would hold him out if
he’s able to play,” Howland said. “We have four
guards. Who else would play?” Shipp, who sustained the injury
going up for a rebound against USC on Feb. 24, has had treatment on
his ankle every day. He did not practice Tuesday, but Howland was
hopeful Shipp would be healthy enough to participate today.