As UCLA Foes Go, Arizona Is No. 1 : College basketball: After riding a soft schedule to No. 2, Bruins play Wildcats.

For UCLA, it’s a rare occasion--playing a ranked team.

So before anyone gets too carried away with the Bruins’ No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press poll, it probably wouldn’t hurt to remember that tonight’s annual Pauley Pavilion dunk-fest with No. 9 Arizona marks the first time UCLA has played somebody, well, good enough to be ranked any higher than 25th.

Lute Olson’s Arizona team has waded through its first 15 games with only two defeats to quality teams--a one-point loss to Kentucky on a tip-in at the buzzer and a five-point loss to California in overtime.

“Definitely they’ve played a stronger schedule than us,” Bruin guard Shon Tarver said. “So they’re definitely going to be ready. It gives us a chance to see where we’re at.”

This leaves only one question: How good is UCLA?

The Bruins are good enough to be ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and No. 1 in the CNN/USA Today poll.

It’s the first time Bruin basketball has been ranked first in anything besides demanding alumni since January of 1983, when Larry Farmer was the coach.

Coach Jim Harrick cautioned against being caught up in a numbers game.

“It’s still real early in the year,” he said. “We’re more into being first in April than we are now.”

For what it’s worth, if UCLA defeats Arizona and Arizona State on Saturday, the Bruins will almost certainly move up to No. 1 in the AP poll because this week’s No. 1 team, Kansas, lost to Kansas State on Monday.

There’s nothing like a little extra incentive, as if any UCLA-Arizona game needed any more.

“We have a great rivalry, no matter what’s at stake,” Tarver said. “Whenever we play them, it’s kind of like an All-Star game.”

So who is the best?

“Of course, I’m going to say we’re better,” Tarver said. “It all comes down to competitiveness.”

Against Arizona, a team whose fortunes depend on its guard play, a good game from Tarver is essential. Not only is Tarver the designated defender against Khalid Reeves, the top scorer in the conference, but Tarver also must make Reeves play defense.

It has been sort of a slow month offensively for Tarver, who is still recovering from his right ankle sprain, sustained Dec. 18 against Louisiana State.

Tarver had only six points in 22 minutes Saturday against Washington and is averaging 14.3 points, second to Ed O’Bannon’s 19.2.

Nothing has changed Tarver’s inclination to be a scorer. He has 1,324 points at UCLA, only 19 behind Jamaal Wilkes, who is No. 18 on the school’s scoring list.

But Tarver said his ankle injury has altered his slashing, driving style, turning him into a jump-shooter. And Harrick has found some fault recently in his defense and has not hesitated to remove him.

But Reeves and Wildcat point guard Damon Stoudamire are special players, so Tarver and Tyus Edney probably will attract a great deal of attention.

Tarver said he is ready.

“I think we’re all pretty even down the line,” he said. “I mean, guard play--they won’t take us for 50 points or anything like that. I don’t think you’ll see that.”

There may be nothing like the present for the No. 2/No. 1 Bruins, who have until the start of next week to enjoy where they are or even go higher.

The last time UCLA finished the season ranked No. 1 was in 1975, when the Bruins won the NCAA title in John Wooden’s last season.

“What good is it to be No. 1 in January and then tail off?” Tarver said. “(No. 1) really doesn’t mean that much now, except probably to fans, alumni and the coaching staff.

“All I know is whoever wins between us two has the edge on winning the Pac-10,” Tarver said.

For UCLA, how would they rank that?

Bruin Notes

Pauley Pavilion will be sold out tonight for the second time in eight games. Two more games are already sold out--Feb. 3 against USC and Feb. 24 against California. . . . Ed O’Bannon, who leads UCLA in scoring (19.2) and rebounding (7.2), on the Bruins’ No. 2 ranking: “That’s what we’re all trying to do, to get a little respect. We’re going to play every game as hard as possible.” And O’Bannon, on playing Arizona: “That’s what you come to UCLA for, to play the top teams.” . . . Jim Harrick had his own descriptive phrase when asked if the Arizona game was UCLA’s biggest game so far. “No, but it’s the first of great magnitude,” he said. Fair enough.