Lavin Reserves Time for McCoy

Jelani McCoy had one of the best games of his UCLA career in the loss to Arizona on Saturday, but probably will have to wait at least another game, and possibly two, before he returns to the starting lineup, Coach Steve Lavin said Sunday.

Lavin suggested he was leaning toward keeping McCoy, who scored 16 points and had 13 rebounds against Arizona, as a reserve tonight against Arizona State. McCoy could also come off the bench Thursday at home against Oregon State, Lavin said, then get his first start Saturday against Oregon.

Which begs the question: Once McCoy does move into the starting lineup, does Lavin remove senior Kris Johnson, who scored 28 points against Arizona, or freshman Earl Watson, one of the team’s surprises this season?

“It’s not a secrecy thing, I just don’t know right now . . . ,” Lavin said. “But, if Kris Johnson plays the way he did last night, it’ll be difficult to keep him out of the lineup.”

TONIGHT

at

Arizona

State

* 5:30 PST

* Fox Sports West 2

Site--University Activity Center.

Radio--AM 1150.

Records--No. 9 Bruins 9-2, 0-1; Sun Devils 11-3, 1-0.

Update--While UCLA accepted its first defeat in over a month rather calmly Saturday night against Arizona, the Sun Devils were enjoying their first conference victory in almost a year, an 84-81 defeat of USC. Don Newman, Arizona State’s interim coach, has rallied the Sun Devils, who were picked to finish last but could be trouble for the top teams. The Sun Devils have lost 17 in a row to UCLA.