Cummings Needs to Come Up Big

Freshman forward T.J. Cummings is averaging 8.7 points and 4.3 rebounds a game, but the Bruins are expecting even more from him in the coming games. With center Dan Gadzuric recovering from a sprained ankle, Cummings probably will play more, especially tonight against Arizona.

“We don’t want to put too much pressure on T.J. to carry the load,” Coach Steve Lavin said. “But he’s not far from being a sophomore. He’s played a lot of minutes in high-level games.”

His most impressive performance came early in the first game of the season at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York, when he came off the bench against Kansas to contribute 24 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Bruins lost, 99-98, but Cummings was named to the all-tournament team as the sixth man.

“T.J. has unusual confidence for a freshman,” Lavin said. “He has kind of a supreme confidence in his abilities. He’s not a cocky kind, he’s just calm and confident.

“Against Kansas at Madison Square Garden, he seemed completely unaware of the magnitude of the game. That was the beauty of it.”

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In the absence of Gadzuric, UCLA is entertaining the idea of using freshman forward Josiah Johnson, although it’s an extremely remote possibility. Johnson, the son of Bruin great Marques Johnson, has not played this season because of a stress fracture in his left foot, and playing him now would mean disqualifying him as a redshirt.

“We don’t want to do that if he’s not going to play,” Lavin said. “If he were going to come back, it would be because he was going to play eight to 10 minutes a game.”

TONIGHT

vs. No. 8 Arizona

7:30, Fox Sports Net

* Site--Pauley Pavilion.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--UCLA 15-6, 8-2 in Pac-10; Arizona 17-6, 9-2.

* Update--The Bruins are looking to avenge their 25-point loss to Arizona at Tucson last month, when they let a 41-33 halftime lead slip away. Point guard Earl Watson sat out the final 18:37 of that game because of back pain and foul trouble. This time, UCLA almost certainly will be without center Dan Gadzuric, recovering from an ankle sprain he suffered at DePaul on Saturday. The ultra-quick Wildcats present plenty of matchup problems for UCLA. Who in blue, for instance, is going to handle 7-foot center Loren Woods? Something else to watch: Jason Kapono was limited to a season-low four points at Tucson. Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton do a nice job of guarding him. The Bruins will be looking for ways to spring Kapono loose.

* Tickets--(310) 825-2946.