COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TONIGHT’S GAMES

PACIFIC 10 CONFERENCE

OREGON (9-7, 4-3) at No. 23 UCLA (12-3, 6-1), 7:30.

TV--None. Radio--KMPC (710).

Freshman Tracy Murray will make his first start at Pauley Pavilion after making nine of 10 shots and scoring 25 points Sunday against California at Berkeley in his debut as UCLA’s No. 1 center. Murray is only the third Bruin freshman to score as many as 25 points in a game, joining teammate Don MacLean and former Bruin Rod Foster. “It gives opposing teams less of an opportunity to double-(team) down on MacLean and (Trevor) Wilson,” Coach Jim Harrick said of his decision to move Murray into the starting lineup. “It opens some outside shots for (Gerald) Madkins and it opens the lane for penetration by (Darrick) Martin. So, it gives us a completely different look.” Also sporting a new look is Oregon, which uses three starters who weren’t even on the team last season. Guard Terrell Brandon, who sat out last season after failing to meet the academic guidelines established by Proposition 48, is averaging 17.3 points a game to lead the Ducks. The other newcomers in the starting lineup are 6-foot-11 freshman Bob Fife and junior guard Kevin Mixon, a transfer from El Camino College. Oregon has already surpassed its victory total from last season, including a 68-63 win over Arizona, but the Ducks are 0-5 on the road.

No. 17 OREGON STATE (14-2, 7-0) at USC (6-8, 1-6), 7:30.

TV--None. Radio--KNX (1070).

The Trojans will try to find a way to stop Gary Payton, the Beavers’ All-American point guard, who is averaging 26.3 points, 8.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game. “In the 15 years I’ve been in this conference, I don’t know of any guard who’s been able to do what Payton has done,” USC Coach George Raveling said. “He’s a winner and he makes those around him a winner. And he does so many things well. You may hold him to 10 points, but then he grabs 10 rebounds, has 10 assists and gets 10 steals. He’s the type of guy if you’re playing on the playground, whoever picks him is going to win.” Oregon State is off to its best start since 1984-85, when the Beavers won 15 of their first 16 games. They have won nine consecutive games, their longest streak since they won 10 in a row in 1984-85. Raveling hasn’t decided whether to start Robert Pack or Rodney Chatman at point guard. Pack started the Trojans’ first 13 games before he was replaced by Chatman for Saturday’s game at Stanford. Chatman had eight points, six assists and a rebound in a 74-61 loss to the Cardinal. USC center Chris Munk has made 27 consecutive free throws.

WEST COAST CONFERENCE

No. 22 LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (13-3, 4-0) at PORTLAND (5-12, 2-2),

7:30.

TV--None. Radio--KXLU-FM (88.9).

After beating Portland and Gonzaga last weekend by an average of 34.5 points, the Lions take a six-game win streak into the Northwest to play those teams on their courts. Loyola has passed Oklahoma in the national scoring race and has raised its average to 120.2 points. Bo Kimble continues to lead the nation in scoring, averaging 35.5. Loyola beat Portland, 131-106, last Saturday, moving Coach Paul Westhead into second place in victories by a Loyola coach with a 92-45 record in four-plus seasons. Bill Donovan won 107 games in 1953-1961. Portland forward William McDowell scored 30 points against Pepperdine and 29 against Loyola last week to raise his average to 13.3. Guard Josh Lowery leads the Pilots in scoring, averaging 14.6. His brother, Terrell, is averaging 14.5 for Loyola. Portland last beat Loyola in February 1987.

PEPPERDINE (8-9, 2-2) at GONZAGA (5-11, 1-3), 7:30.

TV--None. Radio--KWNK (670).

Pepperdine trailed Gonzaga, 56-41, with 8:34 remaining last Saturday in Malibu, but came back to beat the Bulldogs, 68-67. Doug Christie scored a team-high 19 points for Pepperdine, 13 in the second half. Tom Lewis returns to the Waves after a three-game suspension for missing curfew after a road game. Lewis apparently will come in off the bench, but Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said he plans to give the senior forward “a fair chance to earn his starting job back. Tom can really give this team a lift if he is playing up to his abilities at both ends of the floor.” Gonzaga’s Jim McPhee, who scored a career-high 42 points in last week’s 144-100 loss at Loyola Marymount, is averaging 22.8 points a game.

BIG WEST CONFERENCE

CS LONG BEACH (11-5, 4-4) at UTAH ST. (11-7, 5-2), 6:30 PST.

TV--None. Radio--KORG (1190).

Cal State Long Beach has lost three of its last four games, mainly because of erratic shooting. The 49ers shot only 37% Monday night in losing to Nevada Las Vegas, 86-77, and have been below 40% in three of their last five games. Forward Kenny Jarvis, who broke into the starting lineup five games ago, led the 49ers with 18 points against the Rebels. Freshman guard Lucious Harris continues to lead the team in scoring, averaging 12.6. Utah State has won eight of its last 10 games and has defeated the 49ers two years in a row at Logan. The Aggies have four players with double-figure scoring averages--Kendall Youngblood (14.3), Randy Funk (12.7), Rich Jardine (12.3) and Darrel White (10.2).

UC IRVINE (2-15, 0-8) at CS FULLERTON (9-7, 3-4), 7:30.

TV--SportsChannel. Radio--KMNY (1600), KORG (1190).

With another loss, Irvine will tie the longest losing streak in school history--11 games. That streak was set under Tim Tift in January and February of 1980, the season before Bill Mulligan became coach. The closest the Anteaters have come to victory since Dec. 16 is a one-point loss to Cal State Long Beach on Jan. 11. Mulligan has had only one losing season at the school, last year’s 12-17 mark. But a losing record is already assured this season with 11 games remaining. Center Ricky Butler, who scored in double figures in 11 consecutive games, scored only two in a loss to UC Santa Barbara last Saturday. Butler did not start because he was late for a team meeting. Reserve Elgin Rogers, who scored 24 points in the last two games, is doubtful with a sprained ankle suffered in practice on Monday. Fullerton, undefeated in six home games but only 3-7 on the road, plays seven of its final 11 games in Titan Gym. Leading scorer Cedric Ceballos has made 40 of 69 shots (58%) in his last four games, and is averaging 22.1 points and 11.8 rebounds. Mark Hill is averaging 20.8.