UCLA senior forward T.J. Cummings is set to regain his academic
eligibility, according to coach Ben Howland.
“I’ve gone from being cautiously optimistic to
almost certain that T.J. will be eligible,” Howland said
following the Loyola Marymount game Saturday night.
Cummings completed his final exams Friday and must pass 18 units
this quarter in order to become eligible. He learned Saturday that
he had passed the class he was most concerned with and is waiting
on one more grade, Howland said.
The 6-foot-9 power forward was declared ineligible in August,
causing him to miss the Bruins’ two exhibition games and
first four regular-season games. He has been practicing with the
team and should be available for Wednesday’s game against UC
Santa Barbara once his status if finalized.
Cummings, who averaged 10.3 points and 9.3 rebounds, would
provide a much-needed scoring threat for a team that already lacks
depth.
UCLA has recently been hit hard by academic troubles, losing
forward Andre Patterson in the off-season when he flunked out of
school for the second time in two years.
INJURY REPORT: Freshman forward Trevor Ariza made his UCLA debut
Saturday after suffering a collapsed lung during practice on Nov.
28 and missing the season’s first three games.
Ariza, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder through the
pre-season, had been expected to miss the game, but was able to
practice lightly Thursday and Friday.
He also had been expected to play just 10-15 minutes, but ended
up playing 32, racking up 14 points, seven rebounds and a key
assist.
In the final seconds of overtime, he fumbled the ball toward
guard Cedric Bozeman, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer.
“It was a pass,” Ariza said, laughing.
“I’m not saying anything else.”
Ariza, who will have a precautionary X-ray on his lung Monday,
received the extra minutes after center Michael Fey was poked in
the left eye in the first half and was sent to the emergency room
at UCLA Medical Center.
Fey’s status for the UCSB game is unknown.
DRIBBLERS: Forward Dijon Thompson, suffering from a bad
stomachache, raced off the court and into the locker room before
LMU’s final possession “¦ Bozeman pulled down 10
rebounds and forward Josiah Johnson had nine, as they both set new
career-highs “¦ Ryan Walcott has apparently won the battle for
backup point guard, playing six minutes. Howland had pitted him in
practice against shooting guard Jon Crispin, who has yet to appear
in a game this year.