Bruins Go After Fourth Straight Victory

UCLA will take its three-game winning streak into McKale Arena this afternoon against the University of Arizona. If the Bruins come out with the streak intact, they will get to take it into Pauley Pavilion Monday against Washington.

The Wildcats, 9-3 before the conference season started, and 2-2 since, are the Pacific 10’s ranking disappointment this basketball season. They scored one of their victories at Arizona State, where they trailed by seven points in the last 26 seconds. Then they were upset at Stanford, and they lost here Thursday night to USC.

The Wildcats are led by forward Eddie Smith, who made his first eight shots against the Trojans and scored 28 points. Smith, an improving shooter, is averaging 20 points a game in Pac-10 play. Center Pete Williams, only 6-7, who led the Pac-10 in rebounding last season, had an ineffective game at Stanford, and his numbers are down.

The Wildcats have lost guards Brock Brunkhorst and Michael Tait to injuries and now start two off-guards, Steve Kerr and Craig McMillan, the 6-6 freshman high school All-American from Cloverdale whom the Bruins thought they had locked up. In addition, forward Morgan Taylor’s academic status is uncertain, and Coach Lute Olson is now working with 10 players.

The Bruins probably qualify as the conference surprise. Whatever their problems on offense, they are now the Pac-10’s second-best team in scoring defense and have held opponents to 37.1% of their shots from the floor, best in the conference. Thursday at Tempe, they held Arizona State, the Pac-10’s best-shooting team at 59.1%, to 40.5%. Center Brad Wright leads the conference in blocked shots and rebounding.

Coach Walt Hazzard hopes he’ll be working with all 12 players. Forward Craig Jackson, who was ill and held out Thursday night, practiced Friday.