Loss Brings Fall From Top 25

UCLA paid again Monday for the loss at Washington last Thursday in the Pacific 10 opener, falling out of the Associated Press top 25 for the first time in almost three years.

The Bruins are 9-3, but lacking national respect after a series of close finishes was capped by the terrible showing down the stretch against the Huskies. That was followed by the 22-point win at Washington State, but UCLA had already been teetering in the polls, having started last week No. 24.

The Bruins head into a crucial stretch--at USC, at No. 13 North Carolina, at home to No. 2 Arizona--unranked for the first time since the week of Feb. 3, 1997. The Bruins had been out of the top 25 for seven consecutive weeks at that point.

They are 27th in the voting this week. Louisville is 25th with 156 points. Utah was next with 126, then came the Bruins with 93.

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JaRon Rush, the suspended sophomore forward who had taken a team-approved leave of absence to spend time with family and advisors at home in Kansas City, Mo., returned to Los Angeles in time for the start of the new school quarter Monday and rejoined the Bruins at practice.

The opportunity to participate in workouts had been available since just after Christmas, but Rush chose instead to spend time with his support group. He is still barred from games while university officials continue to investigate the specifics of his relationship with agent Jerome Stanley and former summer league coach Myron Piggie.

UCLA could send its report to the NCAA this week. The governing body would then rule on the length of Rush’s suspension, if any, and the Bruins would have the option to appeal if they considered the discipline too harsh.