M. basketball: Ariza to miss next 2 weeks while recovering from lung affliction

A CT scan and X-rays on freshman forward Trevor Ariza produced
normal results, aside from his condition of spontaneous
pneumothorax. Ariza, who experienced pain during practice last
week, was diagnosed with the condition last Friday. Spontaneous
pneumothorax is the presence of air in the pleural cavity of the
lung which causes the lung to collapse. Ariza will miss the next
two weeks of play, leaving juniors Dijon Thompson and Josiah
Johnson as the only two forwards on UCLA’s roster. “I
feel bad Trevor can’t play (Saturday),” coach Ben
Howland said regarding the Bruins’ upcoming game against
Kentucky. “He would match up well against their inside
guys.” Redshirt freshman forward Matt McKinney, who was
diagnosed with a fractured bone in his left foot in early November,
underwent X-rays on Monday. Results are unknown, but according to
Howland, McKinney will be unavailable for the next few weeks.
Junior point guard Cedric Bozeman did not practice yesterday after
being whacked on his right shoulder, the same shoulder for which he
underwent surgery last March for instability problems. He wore a
Band-Aid during Wednesday night’s game, but said it did not
affect him. In addition, Bozeman’s ankle injury was sore,
according to Howland, but Bozeman played through any discomfort.
Thompson suffered a laceration in his forehead during Wednesday
night’s game. After being briefly sidelined during the first
half, Thompson returned in the second and appeared to play without
difficulty.

HIGHLANDERS MEMORIALIZE GUARD: UC Riverside players sported a
“No. 5″ patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys at
Wednesday night’s game to memorialize late junior guard
Kellen Dixon. Dixon, who played with junior UCLA guard Janou Rubin
in the AAU league team NorCal Magic, was killed in a car accident
on Sept. 6.

BRUINS TO PLAY KENTUCKY SATURDAY: This Saturday, the Bruins will
play Kentucky in the John R. Wooden Classic at the Anaheim Pond.
Kentucky (3-0), is ranked No. 9 in The Associated Press poll.
“They’re going to try to run us into the ground at the
Pond,” Howland said. “But our Southern California fans
will be there, and I’m excited.” The 10th anniversary
of the tournament, this year is a throwback to the first Wooden
Classic, which also pitted UCLA against the Wildcats. The Bruins
won that contest by one point and continued on to win the
UCLA’s 11th NCAA championship. Last season, Kentucky won 26
straight games and advanced to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA
tournament. “(UCLA is just) another team on our schedule that
we’ve got to play against,” Kentucky point guard Cliff
Hawkins told the AP Wednesday. “I’ve heard stories,
I’ve heard about (their tradition), but I don’t think
it has anything to do with the game that we’re playing on
Saturday.”

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