Students Scolded for Bad Chant

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero was happy about what he was seeing at Pauley Pavilion last month. The Bruin basketball team was not only beating cross-town rival USC, but was doing so in dominating fashion, en route to a 66-45 victory.

What Guerrero was not happy about was what he was hearing.

The student section was using expletives to express their elation at the one-sided game. It was, Guerrero says, the only time he has heard such a collective chant from his student body at any athletic event against any opponent.

“In my opinion, those students exercised bad judgment,” said Guerrero, soon to complete his fourth year at the head of the department. “This is not what we want to be in terms of ethics and sportsmanship. I want our students to be enthusiastic, to have fun, to back our teams to the hilt. Generally, they do a good job, but, in this case, they crossed the line.”

Guerrero got his message of disapproval over in an article in the school paper, the Daily Bruin.

Wrote Guerrero: “More than once at the UCLA/USC men’s basketball game two weeks ago, selected students chanted a two-word insult toward the visiting team. The first of those words starts with an ‘F,’ exactly the grade I would have bestowed upon them for their objectionable judgment.

“Such a cheer, if you can call it that, has no place in Pauley Pavilion. That our own fans [including children], alumni, faculty, coaches and team had to hear it made me feel embarrassed and ashamed. Even worse was seeing the look on Coach [John] Wooden’s face, an icon who abhors profanity.”

Guerrero has met with administrators and student groups but said he doesn’t envision taking any further action.

“Hopefully,” he said, “this was a one-time shot.”

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And then, there were none.

Freshman swingman Michael Roll had a unique distinction on this team. He was the only one of the 12 scholarship players who had escaped injury. That distinction ended at practice Tuesday when Roll sprained his right thumb.

Although an Internet report said Roll had broken his right hand, X-rays taken Wednesday were negative.

Roll, his thumb heavily taped, is expected to play tonight, UCLA sports information director Marc Dellins said.

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“This is a really dangerous team,” said UCLA Coach Ben Howland, with a straight face, of tonight’s opponent, the Arizona State Sun Devils, last in a conference led by the Bruins.

Howland’s caution is to be expected. Overconfidence can be a coach’s biggest nightmare. But all he has to do to emphasize his point is to remind his players of the first game between the two squads this season. UCLA needed two baskets from guard Jordan Farmar in the final 35 seconds to pull out a 61-60 win.

The Sun Devils “will have our full attention,” Howland said. “We crushed them the first time, by one point.”

TONIGHT

vs. Arizona State, 7:30, FSN West 2

Site -- Pauley Pavilion.

Radio -- 690.

Records -- UCLA 17-4 overall, 7-2 in Pacific 10 Conference; Arizona State 7-11,1-8.

Update -- The Sun Devils are led by guard Kevin Kruger (14.9 points per game) and forward Serge Angounou (7.9), who had a career-high 23 points against the Bruins.

Tickets -- (310) 825-2946.