UCLA Trails USC by 2 Games After Losing to Cougars

Walt Hazzard, who noted last week that it still does mean something to beat UCLA, found out just how much Thursday night when Washington State’s undermanned Cougars got him, too, right in his Pacific 10 hopes.

The Cougars, losers of seven in a row and so battered that they were dressing an assistant coach for practices, ran up a 12-point lead in the first half, lost it in the second but came on again in the first overtime period to stun the Bruins, 66-58.

It means something to lose to Washington State, too. What it meant to the Bruins, one-point losers to USC and Notre Dame last week, was a three-game slump. They’re now 6-4 in the conference, two games behind first-place USC, and 9-10 overall.

And Hazzard’s opinion of his team’s performance? Oh boy.

He popped out of his dressing room after only a brief address to his players, who’d already heard a lot during the game. Without waiting for a question, he launched into the usual take-no-prisoners analysis.

“I was embarrassed with our team’s play tonight,” Hazzard said. “We just didn’t play.

“That team (WSU) wanted to win. Any time you go up against a team that’s lost seven in a row--I don’t care, you can’t read the press clippings.

‘We threw the ball away (UCLA turned the ball over 18 times). We had it. We had chances to win the game and threw them away . . .

“That was a wake. We were sleepwalking out there. I don’t like it. I was very disappointed. That was the worst showing we’ve made all year. Even in December, we played with more determination and drive. I wish I could go out there. I’d get the ball in the right man’s hands. But I can’t. All I can do is coach.”

The Cougars had two starters, Joe Wallace and Otis Jennings, playing with flu. A third, Keith Morrison from Cleveland High in Reseda, was doubtful because of a knee injury right up until the opening tip. The No. 3 guard was a football player named Kitrick Taylor, a sophomore from Pomona High, who suffered a shoulder separation last spring and came out for basketball just to help out.

These same Cougars, beaten by 28 points three weeks ago at Pauley Pavilion, staggered right out to a 12-point lead. Hazzard kept busy, informing his team that it was coming up somewhat short of his expectations.

“Run off the court!” he yelled at his players at the first timeout.

“Have you got a rebound yet?” he snapped at Brad Wright. “When?”

All Hazzard’s fears were soon realized. Trailing, 11-8, Washington State scored a basket. Hazzard sent Jack Haley in for Wright.

The Cougars scored 10 more points in a row. Hazzard sent Wright back in for Haley.

The Bruins scored a couple of baskets. The Cougars went on another 7-0 burst. Hazzard sent in little-used Kelvin Butler for Wright.

Nigel Miguel forced up a 20-footer and missed. Hazzard sent Dave Immel in for him.

The next time down the floor, Gary Maloncon forced off a leaning-in 15-footer and missed. Hazzard sent Craig Jackson in for him.

With 6:01 left in the first half, the Cougars led, 28-16, but their own pace wore them down. UCLA scored 12 straight points and tied the game late in the half. Jennings’ three-point play in the closing seconds before the intermission got WSU off with a 31-28 lead.

The Bruins went out after them again in the second half, tying the game and taking a 44-38 lead. They were still ahead, 47-44, when Reggie Miller missed a shot, was called for jumping in to his defender, jumped into the referee’s face and was hit with a technical foul, too.

Mark Babich made two of his three free throws. The Cougars then inbounded the ball and Morrison scored on a rebound, putting WSU ahead, 48-47. Hazzard sat Miller down to explain that he wasn’t supposed to be talking to referees.

The Cougars led through the closing minutes of regulation, until Montel Matcher hit a 20-footer with eight seconds left to tie the game.

And then the Bruins expired quietly in overtime, in another welter of turnovers.

Hazzard sent Maloncon out to jump center, Wright having lost the opening tip of the game. WSU’s Todd Anderson won this one. The Cougars held the ball for almost two minutes before Jennings tried a 14-footer from the baseline over Maloncon and hit it.

At the other end, Hatcher tried a 20-footer that rimmed out. The Cougars got the ball. They almost lost it but regained it in a scramble out front and got it to Joe Wallace under the hoop. Wallace scored on a short jump hook. The Bruins never got closer than four points after that.

The corner the Bruins turned in January? This is February, and they’ve turned another one, heading downward, and into Seattle to play the Huskies Saturday.