UCLA Is Lost Behind 8-Ball

At least UCLA is in the company of a legend.

An 83-79 loss to Oregon State on Saturday night was the Bruins’ eighth in a row, the most since 1940-41 when Jackie Robinson was the star player.

It was also the eighth consecutive defeat at home, but that dubious distinction conjures no such renowned name. The Bruins’ 2-9 home record is by far their worst in 38 years at Pauley Pavilion.

The losing streak has gone on so long it will come full circle Wednesday when UCLA meets rival USC, which beat the Bruins to start the slide Jan. 8.

While UCLA (4-13, 2-7 in the Pacific 10 Conference) sinks to unplumbed depths, Oregon State (11-7, 4-5) is on the rise.

Under first-year Coach Jay John, a former Arizona assistant, the Beavers employ a patient, inside-out attack that features burly senior post players Philip Ricci and Brian Jackson, who combined for 44 points.

The Beavers swept the Los Angeles schools for the first time since 1988 and appear headed to the Pac-10 tournament after not making the cut last season.

UCLA is flirting with the unfathomable -- not getting into the conference tournament, which takes the top eight teams. The Bruins are alone in ninth place at the halfway point of the conference schedule, ahead of only Washington State.

Even after taking another body blow, several UCLA players remain optimistic.

“That’s why we have another half of the Pac-10 schedule,” guard Ray Young said. “We can get in.”

Not if the pattern of letting a brief lead slip away continues. UCLA scored the first five points of the second half to lead, 48-41. But Ricci went to work, triggering a 17-2 Oregon State run.

UCLA went to its full-court press with five minutes to play and cut a 12-point Oregon State lead to 76-72 in a little over a minute, enlivening the crowd of 7,698. However, guard Cedric Bozeman, who had sparked the rally with slashes to the basket and solid defense, threw a pass out of bounds and the momentum faded.

A steal and layup by Young with one minute left brought UCLA back to within three. Oregon State could not get off a shot and the Bruins had a chance to tie with 18 seconds left.

But again nerves got the better of the Bruin with the ball. Dijon Thompson, who scored 16 points, was called for traveling as he started to penetrate from the perimeter. For the third game in a row, Thompson refused to comment afterward.

“Guys get so wrapped up in the game, they know we are right at the fence,” Young said. “We need to slow down and stay in the moment. We forget we are UCLA.”

Every week somebody in an opposing uniform makes a name for himself. This week the name was Jackson.

Two days after Oregon’s Luke Jackson scored 27 points in an overtime victory over the Bruins, Oregon State’s Jackson scored 18, including 14 in the first eight minutes.

The lead changed 12 times in the first half, and UCLA took momentum into the locker room when Bozeman put back a miss by Jason Kapono at the buzzer for a 43-41 lead. UCLA scored 11 of the last 13 points in the half.

Both teams were successful working the ball inside for layups and dunks, but especially the Beavers.

“Ricci and Jackson have incredible resolve,” UCLA Coach Steve Lavin said. “They’ve had two or three years of losing and Jay John has done a masterful job instilling a winning attitude.”

Jackson picked up his fourth foul with 10 minutes to play and was not a factor the rest of the way. No matter. Once Ricci ran out of steam, pony-tailed senior guard Jimmie Haywood took over, making two three-point shots and two twisting layups in a three-minute span to keep UCLA at bay.

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Not Courting Success

*--* Pauley Pavilio n has not been an advanta ge for UCLA this season. With Saturda y’s loss to Oregon State, the Bruins are 2-9 with eight consecu tive losses at home and have already set a record for the most defeats at Pauley in a season. A look at the opponen ts that have won at Pauley this season: Oregon 83-79 30-73 1988 (65-64) State Last time these Pac-10 teams won at Pauley: Califor nia (2000); Stanfor d (2002); Washing ton (1987); Washing ton State (never) School Result All-Time vs. UCLA Previous Win(s) at Pauley San 86-81 (OT) 1-2 None Diego Norther 67-63 1-1 None n Arizona Michigan 81-76 2-7 None USC 80-75 95-119 1993 (72-62) St. 80-65 5-2 1987 (72-64) John’s Arizona 75-64 12-47 2002 (69-68); 1987 (67-64) State Arizona 87-52 26-37 2000 (76-61) Oregon 96-91(OT) 21-71 2002 (65-62); 1984 (87-83 OT)

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-- Jim Barrero