Hines Now Making Fashion Statement

Freshman swingman Rico Hines acknowledged this week that his recent sideline fashion statement--wearing a towel on his head during the game--is a tribute to towel trail-blazer Kris Johnson, who gained a bit of bizarre fame by donning a towel as he sat on the bench during UCLA’s national title-winning season three years ago.

“It’s a salute to Kris Johnson, because he didn’t play much as a freshman, either,” said Hines, who got decent minutes in the first few games of the season--even starting against Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 13--but has played little since then.

“I figure if I do what he’s done . . . maybe it can bring some good luck to us and the team. They won the championship that year.”

TONIGHT

at Oregon

* 7:30 p.m.

Fox Sports West 2.

Site--McArthur Court, Eugene, Ore.

Radio--AM 1150.

Records--Bruins 17-3, 7-2. Ducks 8-10, 3-6.

Update--The upside to the Ducks’ first half in conference is that they are playing solid defense (71.4 points allowed in nine league games is best in conference), and junior guard Terik Brown has emerged as a consistent, long-distance threat. Oregon also has beaten the Bruins three out of the past four seasons at McArthur Court, including a 82-72 loss in 1995 which climaxed with then-coach Jim Harrick getting ejected.