Kevon Looney a game-time decision vs. Arizona, could play with mask

UCLA forward Kevon Looney has been medically cleared to play and is a game-time decision for Friday night’s game against Arizona, the school announced.

Looney will wear a protective mask to protect a facial fracture and will determine during warmups whether he will play.

The Bruins would be scrambling without Looney, their best rebounder. In the previous game between these teams, three UCLA big men fouled out.

This game, a semifinal of the Pac-12 tournament, could determine whether UCLA will make the NCAA tournament.

Looney sustained the facial fracture during Thursday’s game against USC when he took an arm to the cheek in the first half. The area below his left eye appeared bloody and swollen. He was taken for a CT scan in the second half.

UCLA had no difficulty dismissing the Trojans, thanks to a 36-point performance by sophomore guard Isaac Hamilton.

Afterward, sophomore guard Bryce Alford said Looney “had a nice shiner on his eye, but he didn’t look that bad.”

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