Carril Says UCLA is the Real Nightmare

A day before his showdown with UCLA, retiring Princeton Coach Pete Carril scoffed at suggestions that his team was the Bruins’ worst first-round nightmare.

“That’s a bunch of baloney,” Carril said before the Tigers’ final workout at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. “They’re strong, they’re fast. [For the Bruins to lose,] they’d have to just totally disregard everything their coach has taught them.”

Swingman Kris Johnson practiced at near full-speed during UCLA’s late workout, and declared his back fit for action. “Today, I was about 75%, and the only reason I didn’t push it is because Coach [Jim Harrick] told me not to,” Johnson said. . . . Bruin forward J.R. Henderson, who will start tonight after sitting out two games because of strep throat, said UCLA hopes to take advantage of Princeton’s methodical style. “We feel if we take it one stop at a time, one stop at a time, by the end of the first half, we’ll be up double digits if we can score on them,” Henderson said.