Streaks Not the Concern After Poor Start

No season is over in the first week of December, particularly not when talking about UCLA basketball. The Bruins were 4-8 in the Pacific 10 Conference last February, then won six consecutive games to qualify for the NCAA tournament, where they won two more.

But the Bruins’ 2-3 start this season, including dubious losses to Cal State Northridge and Georgia Tech, has fans wondering whether UCLA can extend three significant streaks: 12 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, 12 consecutive 20-win seasons and 52 consecutive winning seasons.

While fans might grab a schedule today and project whether the Bruins could win enough games to return to the tournament, assistant coach Michael Holton said that’s the last thing the coaches want players to worry about right now.

“The barometer here is always a national championship. I think everybody in our program understands that,” Holton said. “The success of our program is what has attracted players to UCLA.

“But the more realistic goal for us right now is to get better every day. You can’t play this game feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders every day, every play.”

If Rico Hines and Josiah Johnson can return from injury by the time the Pac-10 season starts Jan. 4, the Bruins believe they can develop an eight- or nine-man rotation good enough to compete with Arizona, Stanford and USC.

“There’s a lot to be excited about,” Holton said. “That’s the picture we paint, not as much publicly as to the player. We’ve got an opportunity to do something special.”