Illustration by ERICA PINTO/Daily Bruin MEN’S
BASKETBALL vs. Tonight 7:30 p.m. Pauley Pavilion TV – Fox
Sports Net Radio – 1150 AM
By AJ Cadman
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The Bruins won’t blame anyone for what happened the last
time they met Arizona.
They won’t blame it on their leading scorer, Jason Kapono,
who mustered a career-low four points against the Wildcats’
suffocating perimeter defense, or on guard Earl Watson, who played
sparingly after halftime due to injury.
“Arizona played so well and we didn’t help our
cause,” head coach Steve Lavin said. “We shot the ball
too quick in the second half and turned the ball over too many
times.”
But fighting to keep pace with conference leader Stanford, No. 8
Arizona (17-6, 9-2 Pac-10) and No. 24 UCLA (15-6, 8-2) will again
meet in a crucial Pac-10 matchup tonight in Pauley Pavilion.
Last time the two teams met, if the Bruins had senior point
guard Earl Watson on the floor in the second half, he might have
helped UCLA keep its halftime lead.
“Earl is a critical piece to our success at both ends of
the floor. Especially with the intangibles he brings ““ his
toughness and leadership.”
Watson suffered a bruised hip and back two nights before the
Arizona game in UCLA’s victory over Arizona State. In the
first half it looked as if his composure in the Bruin attack was
the difference. The fact was confirmed when Watson left the
game.
“It’s definitely going to be different this
time,” Watson said. “We are at home and I hope that we
can get a near-sellout. That will give us an extra push and
intensity.”
Watson also hopes that the home court advantage will help now
that center Dan Gadzuric is out with an injury.
After suffering a sprained left ankle in Saturday’s win
over the DePaul Blue Demons in Chicago, Gadzuric, UCLA’s
leading rebounder (7.8), will hand off the rebounding duties in
hopes of overcoming the advantage that Arizona displays on
paper.
“We will have our work cut out for us,” Lavin said.
“So our guards will have to help out on the boards and our
front line has to try to stay out of foul trouble.”
The Wildcats have been on a tear since the return of head coach
Lute Olsen from a personal leave less than one month ago. Arizona
is 7-1 since his return to the sidelines and have been winning with
a stingy defense that UCLA knows all too well. Having won their
last three contests, Arizona has held opponents to a 39.4 percent
shooting clip on the year ““ tops in the Pac-10.
One player who the Bruins will be sure to keep tabs on is junior
forward Michael Wright, Arizona’s leading scorer and sixth in
the conference at 16.6 points per game. But it is Wright’s
work in the paint that has the Wildcats justifying all the
preseason expectations of a national title. Wright is second in the
Pac-10 in rebounding (8.5), with a league-leading 3.74 offensive
rebounds per night and almost a 60 percent field goal mark.
“The press is going to be key,” Watson said of
countering all of the Wildcat’s weapons. “We have to
play within our rhythm because they like to get up and down the
floor quickly and get more scoring chances. We can’t let
ourselves play out of control.”
Meanwhile, Kapono’s previous ineffectiveness is all but
forgotten. The conference’s fourth leader scorer, he enters
tonight’s game coming off a career-high-tying 28-point
performance, along with 11 rebounds, in the Bruins’ 94-88
nonconference victory over DePaul. Lethal from beyond the arc, his
shooting touch is important to UCLA’s chances to move ahead
of Arizona in the Pac-10 standings.
“Teams are trying to pressure me, but I’m still
creating my own shot,” Kapono said. “I’m really
not forcing things. That’s something I’d do last year.
I’d try to rush shots and (shoot) threes. This year,
I’m going to penetrate more.”
But it was Watson’s absence that proved to be a costly
factor in UCLA’s 88-63 loss to the Wildcats on Jan. 20. His
calming presence for the Bruins is vital to winnings ways, as
they’ve won 11 of the last 13 games. Watson also provides
another offensive threat to free up Kapono. Averaging 14.8 points
and 5.62 assists per game, he is the mainstay and steadying hand in
UCLA’s game plan.
“Earl is playing as consistent as any point guard in the
country,” Lavin said. “I wouldn’t trade him for
anybody.”
The defense certainly will not rest its case tonight. UCLA will
not only look to shut down Arizona’s offensive juggernaut,
but bury any speculation that the Bruins aren’t real
contenders for a conference title.