UCLA Undiminished in New Mexico’s Eyes

There wasn’t much small talk coming from Dave Bliss on Friday, not even when the New Mexico coach spoke about the short-handed, under-sized, four-guard UCLA lineup his undefeated, eighth-ranked Lobos face today at the Pond of Anaheim in the second game of the fourth Wooden Classic.

A 41-point loss to North Carolina nine days ago? The 6-foot-5 power forward? Nobody to clang and crash against Lobo All-American bruiser Kenny Thomas in the paint?

When you’re talking about the tradition and glory of UCLA matched against a New Mexico program still trying to put itself on the national-power map, Bliss said, that’s small potatoes.

“You know,” he said with a slight smile, “I guess UCLA stands so tall, image-wise, that nobody looks short in a UCLA uniform.”

Especially with John Wooden sitting in the stands, UCLA regaining its confidence after that horrid start, and a loud pro-Bruin crowd filling the arena.

The 15th-ranked Bruins (2-1) are short--at least until the game reinstatements of Jelani McCoy and Kris Johnson--and should have some of the same problems with Thomas they had with North Carolina’s power trio of Antawn Jamison, Ademola Okulaja and Makhtar Ndiaye.

Thomas, 6-8 and 255 pounds, is averaging 19.6 points and 11.6 rebounds this season, and recorded a career-high eight assists in the team’s last game, an 86-57 victory over San Jose State on Monday. New Mexico also walloped USC to open the season, 98-76.

“It’s another report card [game],” Bruin Coach Steve Lavin said. “And hopefully it won’t be all failing.”

But, thanking heaven for small favors, the Bruins said Friday that New Mexico doesn’t have the same depth in muscle and size the Tar Heels had, and shouldn’t blow UCLA off the court in the same fashion.

The Lobos (5-0) start three guards, and, with four starters--Thomas, shooting guard Royce Olney, swingman Lamont Long and forward Clayton Shields--averaging more than 13 points a game, pretty much stick to a seven-man rotation.

“I don’t think they’re too similar,” said Bruin forward J.R. Henderson, asked to compare New Mexico to the No. 3-ranked Tar Heels. “Carolina just pounded us down low. I think if this team tries to do that, we’ll still have a chance to be successful in the zone.

“Carolina just had so many trees to stick in there. But I don’t think New Mexico has much depth.”

Said Bliss, “We don’t have any pretense about who we are. We’re a pretty good basketball team sometimes and we’re not a very deep basketball team. And every now and then we have moments when we play well together.

“There’s some teams in the country, just by virtue of personnel, who just absolutely astound me. The North Carolinas and the Dukes . . . the depth is the difference.”

UCLA, of course, will have no depth until its suspended players are unsuspended. But, with Johnson due back any day now, and McCoy figuring to be back in the lineup at least by the Pacific 10 Conference opener Jan. 3 against Arizona, the Bruin coaches and players said there’s still not much pressure to make a statement today.

Not even to wipe away the 41-point nationally televised loss to the Tar Heels.

“Definitely, we want redemption,” UCLA guard Toby Bailey said. “But we know this is a long season. I think if I was a freshman, I would really be worried about it: ‘Oh, I’ve got to get back the respect now.’

“But I know how long this season is, how people don’t really remember the preseason games. They just remember what happens at the end of the season.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

UCLA REPORT

vs.

New Mexico

* 2:30 p.m.

* Fox Sports

West, Fox

Sports

America

Site--Pond of Anaheim.

Radio--AM 1150.

Records--No. 15 UCLA 2-1, No. 8 New Mexico 5-0.

Update--The Bruins are going to have to do what they couldn’t against North Carolina last week--disrupt New Mexico’s inside-outside offense with speed on defense and prevent Kenny Thomas from smashing them on the offensive boards. Not only has Thomas been scoring, he has cannily found shooters Lamont Long and Royce Olney for open jump shots.