Bruins Celebrate Rush Week

JaRon Rush, aware that there may have been some doubt from fans about his commitment to the Bruins after he had gone AWOL, came back Monday with a nice showing and, just as important, a message.

“I wanted to show people that I was about something, that I wasn’t a quitter,” Rush said. “I tried to go back out there and scrap and get under the boards.”

The result was eight rebounds--all on the offensive end.

That went with his 19 points, the UCLA high in the 88-85 overtime victory over Arizona State.

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Matt Barnes continues to work his way back from a sprained ankle and knee suffered in an individual workout during the Christmas break.

He has played only six minutes in each of the first two conference games after sitting out against Loyola Marymount to rest the injury, but said he is improving.

“I’ve come a long way,” said Barnes, who has ridden a stationary bike near the Bruin bench to prevent the leg muscles from stiffening. “The first two days, I couldn’t even walk. That was seven or eight days ago.

“When I’m playing, I don’t feel it. It’s just when I’m sitting down and I start relaxing on the bench, that’s when it starts aching.”