Bruins Go to Their Rally Kap

Although Wednesday night’s meeting was a huge game for UCLA and USC, the burden rested on the Bruins.

A loss for USC would have been disappointing. A loss for UCLA would have been disastrous.

Never mind the humiliation of a season sweep at the hands of its rival. The Bruins were staring at a 3-7 record in the Pacific-10, four losses in five conference home games and the ever-increasing chance of missing the NCAA tournament.

UCLA successfully avoided Armageddon, but its 83-78 victory over USC raised as many questions as it answered.

Where was the urgency and efficiency? Why did UCLA hold the lead for only 55 seconds of the first 27-plus minutes? How could the Bruins treat the ball with such little respect and commit 17 turnovers? How could 6-foot-11 Dan Gadzuric disappear into obscurity? Isn’t it just the least bit scary to be so dependent on a freshman?

The Bruins didn’t take over until freshman Jason Kapono did. He made nine of 10 shots and scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half.

Earl Watson was key in the first half, taking over the way so many had hoped he would. He attacked the basket aggressively. He scored or assisted on seven of UCLA’s 15 baskets and he provided 15 of the team’s 37 points in the first 20 minutes. He finished with 22 points, seven assists and no turnovers. The closest thing he had to a turnover came in the first half, when on a dead ball he fired a chest pass to the official and the ball caromed off the referee’s chest.

But, despite the best part of what Coach Steve Lavin called Watson’s best game of the season, the Bruins still trailed by four points at halftime.

“As a leader, everyone else will follow,” Watson said.

Apparently it just takes a while. Kapono seemed to kick it into gear just when USC’s overworked starters were tiring.

“I think we got a little winded with about 10 minutes to go,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said.

When three guys play 40 minutes and two guys play 39 minutes, it’s bound to happen sometime.

Is the fatigue setting in on USC’s season? The Trojans have dropped four games since Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner went out with injuries. At 6-4 in the Pac-10, their improbable run at the title probably is over. But they still should be in good shape in March, and with Clancy looking at making a return in two to three weeks, they might be dangerous again come tournament time. No reason to pout.

And not much cause for joy in Westwood, either.

Did any Bruin fan really leave this one feeling happy? The Lavin-haters dread the fact that each victory extends his tenure. Even the most ardent Bruin fans can’t be pleased that the program has been reduced to this state, exhaling after home victories over USC, things that used to be as regular a part of life at UCLA as the Eight Clap.

“We’re at a point where we’re just trying to win games,” Kapono said, which ought to have them shaking in Syracuse.

They’ll spend the rest of the season in what seems to be their best state: crisis-aversion mode.

Lavin managed to drop references to all of the most significant victories of his coaching tenure--the NCAA tournament win over Michigan in 1997, the bailout games against North Carolina and DePaul this season and Wednesday night’s W--in his postgame comments, the common factor being the matchup zone the Bruins used.

At least the Bruins had a direction Wednesday. Ryan Bailey played extensive minutes at point guard, and Watson liked not having to handle the ball all night.

Lavin also wanted to pound the ball inside, which is a bit difficult when one of your big guys is nonexistent. Gadzuric picked up two quick fouls and spent the last 16:26 of the first half on the bench. He finished with only four points.

Now it’s time to see if UCLA can put something together. Seton Hall just punctured Syracuse’s unbeaten record with a victory at the Carrier Dome on Monday night.

But the Bruins will need some strong inside play against Syracuse shot-blocker Etan Thomas, and Watson and Bailey will need to play smart against point guard Jason Hart.

Watson, speaking of the leadership role he displayed Wednesday, said, “I just have to be consistent with that. If I don’t do that the next game, this game doesn’t matter.”

They understand the concept: They must win and play with consistency.

Really, the objective hasn’t changed since the beginning of the season. It’s only now that it appears to be taking root.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at his e-mail address: j.a.adande@latimes.com