COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TONIGHT’S GAMES

PACIFIC 10 CONFERENCE

No. 16 UCLA (14-3, 8-1) at USC (6-10, 1-8), 8 p.m.

TV--Prime Ticket, 10:30 (delayed). Radio--KMPC (710), KNX (1070).

In three games since it was upset by Stanford two weeks ago, UCLA has averaged 93 points a game and made 56.6% of its shots in beating California, Oregon and Oregon State to move back into a tie for the Pacific 10 Conference lead with Oregon State. “They’re playing with tremendous confidence and a positive type of cockiness,” USC Coach George Raveling said of the Bruins. USC, meanwhile, is mired again in last place, where it has spent the last 4 1/2 seasons. The Bruins routed the Trojans, 89-72, last month at Pauley Pavilion, getting a season-high 35 points from Don MacLean and 27 points and 13 rebounds from Trevor Wilson. USC’s Ronnie Coleman scored a career-high 27 points and matched a career high with 15 rebounds against the Bruins, but freshman guard Harold Miner made only six of 20 shots and was limited to 15 points. “The game was over after the first nine possessions,” Raveling said of the loss, which lowered his record against UCLA to 0-7 since he took over as USC coach before the 1986-87 season. USC has lost its last four games and seven of its last eight; UCLA has won five of six.

WEST COAST CONFERENCE

St. Mary’s (6-12, 3-3) at No. 20 Loyola Marymount (15-3, 6-0), 7:30

TV--SportsChannel. Radio--KXLU-FM (88.9).

First-year Gael Coach Paul Landreaux, who won two state titles at El Camino College and was Jim Harrick’s assistant at UCLA last season, makes his return to Los Angeles with one of the five teams tied for second place in the WCC, three games behind the Lions. Landreaux’s luck had been mostly bad, but it has improved lately. Guard Terry Burns returned after missing two months because of a ruptured disk in his back, and the Gaels got a 56-55 victory over Santa Clara last week when forward James Dailey hit the first three-pointer of his career at the buzzer. Dailey leads the Gaels, averaging 13.3 points a game, and 6-foot-10 center Eric Bamberger is averaging 11.8 points and nine rebounds. The Gaels are shooting 40.9% and limiting opponents to 43.6%. Loyola, riding an eight-game winning streak, is shooting 52.6% for the season and 56% in WCC games. The biggest challenge for the Lions may be to concentrate on this game, with a nationally televised contest at Louisiana State coming up Saturday.

BIG WEST CONFERENCE

Fresno State (7-10, 2-6) at UC Irvine (2-16, 0-9), 7:30

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

Irvine tries to avoid its 12th consecutive loss, a school record. Anteater Coach Bill Mulligan will use his 14th starting lineup, which includes three freshmen and a sophomore. Center Ricky Butler and forward Jeff Herdman, Irvine’s top scorers, will not start. This is in response to a five-for-35 shooting performance by the starters in an 82-55 loss to Cal State Fullerton last Thursday. A career-high 24 points by freshman forward Jeff Von Lutzow was one of the few highlights for Irvine. Von Lutzow will start tonight. Fresno State, which snapped a four-game losing streak with a 69-53 victory over San Jose State Monday, is led by Wilbert Hooker with a 16.1-point average. The Bulldogs won the first meeting, 67-57, on Jan. 7 in Fresno.

SAN JOSE STATE (5-13, 2-7) at CS FULLERTON (10-8, 4-5), 7:30

TV--None. Radio--KMNY (1660).

Fullerton is one of San Jose’s two victims in Big West Conference games this season. UC Irvine, a team with an 11-game losing streak, is the other. The Titans fell to the Spartans, 66-60, on Jan. 15, when Coach John Sneed said they were outhustled, particularly by guard Troy Batiste and inside player Kenne Young. Since that game, San Jose has lost four games in a row, while Fullerton has won two and lost two. The Titans blew an 11-point lead with 2:21 remaining against UC Santa Barbara Monday and lost in overtime, 72-64. Fullerton’s Cedric Ceballos has played well over the past six games, averaging 24.7 points and 11.8 rebounds. But guard Mark Hill, the Titans’ second-leading scorer, has struggled, shooting only 29% in the past five games and making only five of 29 three-point shots. He scored a career-low six points against Santa Barbara.