New Lineup Puts Opponents on Guard

The Bruins showed a new look with three point guards--Baron Davis, Earl Watson and Ryan Bailey--in the starting lineup against Oklahoma State last weekend. Coach Steve Lavin doesn’t plan to use the lineup on a regular basis, but it did remind him of the Arizona club that won an NCAA championship with Mike Bibby, Miles Simon and Jason Terry.

“That created so many matchup problems because all three of those guys could pass, catch, shoot from the three-point line, create off the dribble for themselves or create for others,” Lavin said. “You’re always going to have somebody defensively feeling like a duck out of water guarding one of those point guards.”

UCLA’s version of the small lineup jumped to 12-2 lead against the Cowboys with the backcourt feeding forward Jerome Moiso and center Dan Gadzuric for two inside scores each. Watson made a running bank shot and Davis was able to drive the lane for another basket.

“With our [frontcourt] it’s a nice complement,” Lavin said Tuesday. “Also people can’t pressure us.”

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Another nice surprise for UCLA this season--the Bruins are outrebounding their opponents by an average of 42.7 to 33.5 a game.

Watson, who averaged 3.7 rebounds last season, has improved to 4.8. More important, he is getting help from 6-foot-10 freshmen Moiso (6.2 rebounds a game) and Gadzuric (4.3). Another freshman, 6-foot-6 forward JaRon Rush, is averaging 4.5 rebounds.

That’s a welcome influx of height in comparison to last season’s undersized team.

“Last year when a shot went up, nobody knew [what would happen],” Lavin said. “It was a team of midgets trying to track the ball down. That’s why recruiting is so important.”