UCLA guard Ike Williams, who is the central figure of a police
investigation involving an assault of a men’s volleyball
player, was suspended indefinitely by coach Ben Howland on
Thursday. The redshirt sophomore blind-sided Karl Metzger, a
freshman on the men’s volleyball team, at a party in Westwood
Sunday night, a source within the volleyball program said. Metzger
fell down a flight of stairs, the source said, and sustained facial
injuries. Williams, who was not arrested, was briefly detained by
police for questioning Sunday night and then released. A spokesman
for the Los Angeles Police Department would not release an incident
report or any more details concerning the investigation because no
charges have been filed. Neither Williams nor Metzger could be
reached for comment. UCLA men’s volleyball coach Al Scates
chose not to comment on the incident at this time. Williams, 20,
earned a spot on the men’s basketball team in 2002 as a
walk-on guard. The Murrieta Valley resident has appeared in just
one game, playing one minute in UCLA’s victory over Cal last
season.
FOR OPENERS: At least 11 or 12 players will
play, Howland said, when UCLA opens exhibition play tonight against
Canada’s Simon Fraser. Howland did not disclose who will
start tonight, but he did say that the starting five against Simon
Fraser may not be the same as when the Bruins open regular season
play against Chicago State on Nov. 20. The coaching staff probably
won’t determine a consistent rotation until at least
December, but Howland did say that no player will average more than
30 minutes a game this season.
WELCOME CHANGES: Although UCLA is still in the
extreme preliminary stages of deciding how to renovate Pauley
Pavilion, Howland said he is excited about the potential changes.
Among the additions Howland hopes to see are new locker rooms, a
meeting room, a media room, and the end zone seats moved closer to
the court. Cal and Washington have already renovated their home
gyms, and Stanford, Oregon and USC each are making improvements to
their facilities, so Howland said it was important for UCLA to
follow suit. “Today’s kids still appreciate the
banners, but they want bells and whistles,” Howland said.
“Recruits want all the amenities.”
GOING SMALL: Howland said he occasionally would
consider using a lineup in which either swingmen Dijon Thompson or
Arron Afflalo played the power forward position. “I can see
us doing that, but it will be hard for us to defend that
way,” Howland said. “It might be easier for Arron, but
neither of them could do it for a lot of minutes.”
QUOTE TO NOTE: Now that Washington State coach
Dick Bennett is two years removed from ending his retirement, he
said his health has improved. “I was feeling a little rundown
and useless my last year of retirement,” Bennett said.
“Now I only feel rundown.”
DRIBBLERS: No progress has been made, Howland
said, on the Pac-10 coaches’ proposal to shorten the league
schedule to 16 games next season … USC broke ground on its brand
new basketball arena earlier this week … Howland and UCLA legend
John Wooden will host a coaching clinic together this weekend at
Pauley Pavilion.