UCLA, Trying to Rebound, Takes On North Texas Tonight

After a stunning upset by UC Irvine, UCLA will try to rebound against North Texas at Pauley Pavilion tonight at 7:30.

“It was an exceptionally tough loss,” UCLA Coach Jim Harrick said after Wednesday’s 91-90 defeat. “I don’t usually take them very hard but that one was very hard to take. It was a Murphy’s Law game.”

Things figure to go right for UCLA (6-2) tonight against North Texas (3-5).

Forward Ronnie Morgan, the Eagles’ leading scorer, was recently declared academically ineligible.

North Texas ended a 3-game losing streak by defeating the University of San Diego, 81-77, in overtime Wednesday night.

The Eagles are led by guards Deon Hunter and Rickey Robertson. Hunter, a 5-foot 9-inch senior, scored a season-high 25 points against USD, and Robertson, a 6-3 sophomore, had 18 points.

Bruin Notes

After reviewing a tape of the Irvine game, UCLA Coach Jim Harrick said the officials blew several key calls. With the score tied at 87-87, UCLA’s Darrick Martin fouled Mike Labat with 12 seconds left. Harrick thought Labat traveled. . . . The loss to UC Irvine marked the first time the Bruins had played a Southland team on the road other than USC since they beat UC Santa Barbara, 107-76, in the 1963-64 season. . . . This is the first meeting between UCLA and North Texas.