Lavin Pleased With Bailey as a Starter

The move to Ryan Bailey as the starting shooting guard for the first time this season has delivered the offensive boost Coach Steve Lavin hoped for when he made the decision two games ago.

Bailey made only one of four shots Sunday at Syracuse, but contributed greatly to the near-upset of the fourth-ranked Orangemen with seven assists against one turnover, seven rebounds and two steals. That came one game after he played a season-high 34 minutes and the Bruins scored 83 points against USC, about eight more than their average.

The results have been so encouraging that Lavin has no immediate plans to switch back to Rico Hines, working his way back into condition after four games out because of a toe injury. The Bruins are a better defensive team with Hines--partly because it’s a strength of Hines and a Bailey weakness--but there is likewise no denying they are playing well and getting more stable play from point guard Earl Watson with Bailey also in the backcourt.

“We seem to have a better offensive rhythm and flow with them in the game,” Lavin said.

In the two games since Bailey replaced Billy Knight, while Hines was still sidelined, Watson has 15 assists and four turnovers and has made 13 of 21 shots.

“I just try to push the tempo,” said Bailey, who averaged only 11.2 minutes in the five games before his promotion. “Sometimes the tempo just lags. We’re not a half-court team. We can play in the half court, but we should be pushing the tempo. When I come in the game, that’s what I try to do.”