Late Rally Lifts UCLA to Victory : College basketball: Bruins overcome eight-point deficit to defeat Arizona State after Harrick is ejected with 15:43 to play.

The day Jim Harrick was given a three-year contract extension as UCLA basketball coach was the day stability returned to Westwood. For the coaching staff and the players, it meant the rest of the season was finally free of speculation about Harrick’s future.

Yet two days after that seminal moment in Bruin basketball history, Harrick looked as if he believed the world was closing in on him Thursday night at the University Activity Center.

In 2 minutes 28 seconds early in the second half, Harrick drew two technical fouls and was ejected, leaving his players and assistants to fend for themselves during the last 15:43 of a game that might greatly affect their chances of attracting an NCAA tournament bid.

Harrick was left to watch the game from a tunnel behind one of the baskets as his Bruins rallied from an eight-point second-half deficit to defeat Arizona State, 77-74, before 10,185.

UCLA’s third victory in a row moved it to 21-9 overall and 11-6 in the Pacific 10 Conference, tied for second place with California.

Behind the strong second-half performances of Ed O’Bannon and Tyus Edney, UCLA regrouped when its coach was thrown out for the second time this season. Harrick also was ejected with 10 seconds to play in the Bruins’ loss to Duke two weeks ago.

Assistant Mark Gottfried took charge in Harrick’s absence. The usually subdued Gottfried took to the role, taking off his jacket and pacing the sidelines.

“I didn’t have time to be real nervous,” Gottfried said.

The second technical came quickly after an official timeout was called. The Bruins said they didn’t know why Ron Richardson called the technicals.

Official Mark Reischling said Harrick was ejected “because it was a question of him becoming animated toward the officials.”

Harrick refused to discuss the technicals, trying to focus attention on the Bruin victory. But during one of the best weeks of his career, the questions persisted.

Why lose composure under such circumstances?

“I don’t know what the first one was all about,” he said of the call. “I thought (the second) was on the bench. I was immensely surprised.”

So were his players.

“I had no clue he was ejected,” said guard Shon Tarver. “I came down and didn’t know where the coach was.”

Later, some of the players were aware their coach was in the tunnel watching intently. At one point, Harrick talked with Kevin Johnson of the Phoenix Suns, who attended the game with teammate Charles Barkley.

As the Bruins rallied, Harrick became animated.

Said O’Bannon, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds: “I could hear him (say), ‘Grab the rebound!’ ”

Although he would not say, it appeared he was sending advice to his assistants through Bob Alejo, the Bruins’ strength coach, who talked to Harrick in the tunnel, then returned to the bench.

Reischling, the official, said he knew Harrick was in the tunnel but was not concerned.

“Our concern was the players on the floor,” he said. “As long as he is away from the floor, it is out of our jurisdiction.”

O’Bannon said Harrick did not offer any strategic help. “I can’t read sign language,” he said.

O’Bannon said the team would have lost had it been earlier in the season when speculation about Harrick’s status was running strong.

“Our minds would have been somewhere else, at least before the game started,” he said. “We came in mentally prepared for this game. Instead of worrying about whether Coach is OK, whether or not our team was going to be fine, we were focused.”

O’Bannon, who is starting to look strong after a season of nettlesome injuries, scored 13 points in the second half and dominating the smaller Sun Devils.

Edney, who scored 17 points, made four free throws during the last 1:06 as UCLA dropped Arizona State (17-9, 10-7) into third place.