Whole New Shooting Match

While Coach Steve Lavin has been noncommittal about who will start at shooting guard tonight at Oregon State, the opportunity may come to Ray Young with the additional chance to prove he can be more than a fill-in there.

Young started 10 consecutive games there before continued struggles cost him the job Jan. 14. Rico Hines took over, but Hines is not expected to play tonight because of a sprained big right toe, so Young may get another shot.

“I was playing more not to make mistakes than just playing,” Young said of the perspective gained from a reserve role the last three games. “But the way I play aggressively, I know I’m going to make bad passes and mistakes sometimes. I just have to accept that and not worry about it. I’m not going to lose it this time because I’m just going to come out and let the chips fall where they may. I know good things will come.”

If that chance comes at all. Lavin said he was considering Young to replace Hines, even if temporarily, but that Matt Barnes, coming off a career-high 17 points against Arizona State, and Ryan Bailey were also possibilities. If Barnes is the choice, it may be at small forward with Jason Kapono moving to shooting guard, although the positions are mostly interchangeable.

TONIGHT

at Oregon State, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Gill Coliseum, Corvallis, Ore.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--UCLA 11-5, 2-3; Oregon State 10-6, 2-3.

* Update--Oregon State guard Deaundra Tanner, an All-Pacific 10 choice last season, is shooting 45.3%, a big improvement from the combined 37.2% his first two seasons. But the Inglewood High product is down to only 35.7% in the five conference games.