Lavin Will Go to Great Depths

Most coaches would look at a tape of three freshmen frozen with stage fright against a cross-town rival and vow to keep them on the bench forevermore.

Steve Lavin vowed to increase their playing time. Against the nation’s No. 1 team.

Cedric Bozeman, Dijon Thompson and Andre Patterson were scoreless in a loss to USC a week ago. So Lavin increased their combined minutes from 17 to 50 against Kansas on Saturday, and UCLA won.

“After the USC game, I turned the tape off at 2 a.m. and was sick to my stomach,” he said. “I realized I probably cost us a win because I didn’t use the bench enough.”

Depth is a Bruin strength, and Lavin must remind himself not to leave veterans Jason Kapono, Matt Barnes and Billy Knight on the court too long.

“The depth allowed us to beat Kansas,” he said. “With the freshmen, I have to let them fall and pick themselves back up. They have to come of age, even if it costs us a couple wins. We will be better for that come tournament time.”

TONIGHT

at Arizona State, 5:30,

Fox Sports Net

Site--Wells Fargo Arena.

Radio--KXTA (1150, 850), KPLS (830).

Records--UCLA 12-3, 4-1, Arizona State 10-5, 3-3.

Update--Looking ahead to Saturday’s game at Arizona would not be wise for the Bruins because the Sun Devils present a difficult matchup. Curtis Millage (averaging 13.5 points), Kenny Crandall and Kyle Dodd are quick guards, the kind that bother UCLA. Unless Rico Hines unexpectedly recovers from a concussion before the game, freshman Cedric Bozeman will make his first start since Nov. 28. Arizona State is hot, having won five of its last six. UCLA has won 24 of the last 25 meetings, losing at Arizona State two years ago, 104-75.

Steve Henson