Dalis ‘Disappointed,’ but Harrick Will Stay : College basketball: UCLA athletic director says coach told him: ‘It’s my fault.’

UCLA Athletic Director Peter Dalis said he was “deeply disappointed” with the Bruins’ basketball season, but that there would be no serious repercussions for Coach Jim Harrick.

“He’s our coach,” Dalis said.

Dalis met with Harrick and said the coach blamed himself for the way the Bruins closed out their 21-7 season, which ended with a 112-102 loss to Tulsa in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

“Jim is one of those coaches who says it was his fault,” Dalis said. “He said ‘Pete, it’s my fault.’ ”

The Bruins started 14-0 and were ranked No. 1, but finished the season 7-7, and as the No. 5-seeded team in the Midwest Regional lost to 12th-seeded Tulsa in the opening round. Tulsa led at one point in the first half, 46-17.

“I don’t think there’s anyone who is associated with UCLA who was happy with anything the last half of the year and in the tournament,” Dalis said. “I was deeply disappointed. I think we all are.

“I kind of viewed the Tulsa game the same as I viewed Arizona’s loss to Santa Clara last year and USC’s loss to Fresno State (in the 1992 Freedom Bowl football game),” he said.

Dalis characterized UCLA’s season as “reasonably good.”

He said he met with Harrick and assistant coaches Lorenzo Romar, Mark Gottfried and Steve Lavin for a routine postseason review.

Although Dalis said no central theme emerged as the primary reason for UCLA’s problems, he pointed out one drawback that he thought needed to be corrected.

“I don’t think we were very sound fundamentally,” said Dalis, who instructed the coaching staff to teach more on the court.

“They’ll need to demonstrate they can do that,” Dalis said.

Harrick has won at least 20 games and taken the Bruins into the NCAA tournament in each of his six seasons at UCLA. He has two years remaining on his contract, which was extended last year.