Bruins Not Taking Louisville Lightly

Even though UCLA today faces a Louisville team that is 8-11, Bruin Coach Steve Lavin says the ferocity of the team’s recent practice attitude shows that his players are not taking the Cardinals lightly.

“It’s [Louisville’s] Denny Crum, a Hall of Fame coach, and a team that’s beaten us two consecutive years and they beat Kentucky at Kentucky [on Dec. 27] and they have the toughest schedule in America,” Lavin said. “So, you add all of that up . . . It’s a lot of things, you’d like to stay in the top 10, you’d like to continue to win.”

Louisville, despite its worst start since the 1990-91 season, has defeated Kentucky at Kentucky, gave North Carolina a tough game and has played the toughest schedule in the nation, according to the RPI rankings.

TODAY

vs. Louisville

* 1 p.m.

* Channel 2

Site--Pauley Pavilion.

Radio--AM 1150.

Records--No. 9 Bruins 14-3; Cardinals 8-11.

Update--This is a very different Louisville team than the one that beat the Bruins the last two years. DeJuan Wheat and Alvin Sims, who harried UCLA’s guards, are gone, and so is outside shooter B.J. Flynn. Former Trojan Cameron Murray, who sat out last season, and Nate Johnson are the starters.