Rush Arrives Late, Lavin Benches Him

JaRon Rush, a starter in seven of the nine games, will probably be benched for the first half tonight against Loyola Marymount, and maybe longer, after missing practice the last two days.

The Bruins were supposed to report back from Christmas break for a Sunday practice, but Coach Steve Lavin said the freshman forward, home in Kansas City, Mo., failed to realize that his ticket to Los Angeles was for Monday.

Lavin said Rush then missed the Monday flight, and practice.

Rush was expected back on campus Monday evening.

“At this point, he’s not going to start and he probably won’t play in the first half,” Lavin said. “Beyond that, I haven’t decided what I’m going to do.

“It could end up being that he doesn’t play against Loyola. But I’ll wait to talk to him.”

The Bruins are already short on bodies. Continuing problems with tendinitis kept Dan Gadzuric out of Monday’s workout. He will be in uniform tonight, but the Bruins are hoping to rest him for the second game in a row.

Matt Barnes sprained his right knee and ankle landing awkwardly on a dunk during a workout with his high school coach in Sacramento over the break. He will probably not play tonight.

TONIGHT vs. Loyola Marymount

7:30, Fox Sports West 2

* Site--Pauley Pavilion.

* Radio--XTRA (1150), KXLU-FM (88.9), KAVL (610).

* Records--Bruins 7-2, Lions 4-6.

* Update--The Lions have lost three of four, all on the road. This is UCLA’s final nonconference tuneup before Saturday’s Pacific 10 Conference opener against Arizona at Pauley Pavilion.