Rule Adds to Pressure of Finals Week

Finals this week are taking on increased urgency because of a new NCAA rule that requires athletes to pass at least two classes each term to remain eligible. Previously, athletes needed only to pass 75% of their classes during the academic year.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland reinforced the importance of academics at practice this week, telling players that one Bruin would have been ineligible after the fall quarter last year had the rule been in effect.

“We’re optimistic, but [UCLA] is not an easy place,” Howland said.

The practice schedule this week will be disrupted by finals. The Bruins are practicing tonight, Thursday evening and Friday morning.

Senior forward T.J. Cummings, who has been ineligible this fall because he did not make sufficient academic progress last spring, could regain his eligibility early next week and play Wednesday against UC Santa Barbara.

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Another player the Bruins hope returns soon is freshman forward Trevor Ariza, who has sat out all three games because of a collapsed lung. X-rays taken this week indicate the lung is re-inflating, and he could return to play against Santa Barbara.

“He is healing; it’s just a matter of time,” Howland said.

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Point guard Cedric Bozeman never came out of UCLA’s 52-50 loss to Kentucky on Saturday in the Wooden Classic and is averaging a team-high 38.3 minutes, a few too many for Howland’s liking.

“I’m not going to play him 40 minutes a game throughout the year,” he said. “We play Thursday-Saturday in the [Pacific 10 Conference], so we have to bring somebody else along.”

The obvious choice is junior Ryan Walcott, who averaged 21.5 minutes and led the Bruins with 90 assists last season. Howland, however, is giving senior Jon Crispin a look as well.

“Walcott is the leader, but I’m going to pit them against each other the next few days in practice,” he said.

Walcott has played only five minutes this season, and Crispin has not played at all.

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Strong defense enabled UCLA to claw back from a 23-6 deficit against Kentucky. The Bruins outscored the Wildcats, 44-29, over the last 32 minutes, and Kentucky’s 27.1% field-goal shooting was its worst since a Final Four loss to Georgetown in 1984.

Greater defensive intensity is the Bruins’ most noticeable change under Howland. Bozeman and guard Brian Morrison have been particularly tough.

“Transition defense is the No. 1 thing, we don’t want teams to push the ball on us in transition,” Howland said. “We also talk about having good pressure on the ball.”

Sound defense also wears out the opposition. Kentucky players weren’t smiling when they posed with John Wooden after the game.

“We were exhausted,” Wildcat Erik Daniels told the Lexington Herald-Leader. “It was a long game and guys played a lot of minutes.”