Ariza Off to a Fast Start

So this is Ben Howland’s definition of limited minutes: 32.

Freshman forward Trevor Ariza made his debut against Loyola Marymount on Saturday after sitting out three games because of a collapsed lung. Howland said for days that he would “err on the side of caution,” but then came the opening tip-off, then came an eye injury to center Michael Fey, and there was Ariza in the lineup, pretty much to stay.

“I feel more comfortable with him in the game than on the bench,” said Howland, who added that Ariza would start at power forward against UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday.

In the 69-66 overtime victory over Loyola, Ariza had 14 points and seven rebounds.

“At first, I expected to play 10 to 15 minutes,” he said. “I really played a lot in the second half. Toward the end, I got real winded.”

Fatigue contributed to several defensive lapses down the stretch, when Loyola erased a 14-point UCLA lead in the last 5:29 of regulation. Howland acknowledged that he needed to put more trust in his reserves to keep the starters fresh.

“I attribute giving up the lead [to fatigue],” he said. “You could see on the film we were tired.”

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Fey, taken to the hospital after getting poked in the eye by a Loyola player 14 minutes into the game Saturday, practiced Monday and is expected to play Wednesday.

“It’s not as bad as I thought,” he said. “It hurt real bad and I was scared. All I could do was fall to the floor.”

From the emergency room, Fey tried to call friends attending the game to find out the score.

“It was too loud,” he said. “Nobody answered their cell.”

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Howland is proceeding as if senior forward T.J. Cummings will be eligible by Wednesday. Results of his last final should be known today.

“I’m very optimistic that he is going to make it,” Howland said. “His final was 70% of his grade. He had a passing grade going into the final.”

Chris Carlson, Howland’s operations director, has kept close tabs on Cummings’ academic progress.

“This will be, without question, T.J.’s most productive quarter as a college student, which he should be proud of,” Howland said.

Cummings, who averaged 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds last season, can play either forward spot and eventually will move into the starting lineup.

“We need another big body to rebound and defend,” Howland said.

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Bruin coaches have reconsidered recruiting Michael Thompson, who left Duke on Nov. 30, and it appears the sophomore center will not visit UCLA. Bruin 7-foot centers Fey and Ryan Hollins are sophomores.