Conditioning Will Be Tested

Two long stretches without a game, one 10 days and the other a week, give way to a schedule of three games in as many days and five over the next 10 as the Bruins begin final preparations for the Pacific 10 Conference season.

That includes the return of Matt Barnes, whose academic suspension ended Monday when he was cleared to board a late-afternoon flight from Los Angeles to join the Bruins at the Pearl Harbor Classic in Hawaii. That also includes the continuation of games as conditioning drills.

Coach Steve Lavin was the first to concede that his team was not in proper shape when the season started. He hoped that would change by late December as the Bruins returned to near full strength for games.

“The fatigue factor,” Lavin said. “Playing three games in three days, especially being short of [suspended] JaRon Rush. . . . That means other players are going to have to step up.”

TODAY

vs. Maine, 3 PST

* Site--Cannon Activities Center, Laie, Hawaii.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Bruins 4-1, Black Bears 5-2.