Nothing Clear-Cut for Bruins

The Pacific 10 Conference basketball season begins today with UCLA in limbo. The Bruins are neither surprisingly good nor shockingly bad.

Several descriptions do apply, however. The Bruins are frustrated by their inconsistency, hungry to become winners and dangerous on a given night.

Oh, and 4-3. The sixth-place Pac-10 finish projected by the media might not be too far off.

The Bruins view themselves a few rungs higher on the ladder. Coach Ben Howland said finishing “in the top half” of the conference is a realistic goal. Swingman Dijon Thompson said UCLA could fight No. 4 Arizona for the title -- conveniently leaving unbeaten No. 5 Stanford out of the equation.

Other players use predictions as incentive.

“At our first practice we circled up and Coach Howland told us we’d been picked to finish sixth,” center Michael Fey said. “He said it was good because nobody is expecting anything from us. It also is motivation to prove everybody wrong.”

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Howland has instilled a hard-nosed mentality at UCLA, and the result has been better rebounding, stronger defense, more fouls and a slower pace than Bruin fans are accustomed to seeing.

Pac-10 officials have a reputation for calling games more closely than in other parts of the nation -- particularly the rough-hewn Big East, where Howland spent the last five seasons coaching Pittsburgh.

Will Pac-10 refs allow the Bruins to flex their muscles? Or will they undercut it with a hail of whistles?

Several players said Howland will not abandon his style to suit the referees.

“We’ll just go out and play and take it from there,” Fey said. “Coach doesn’t expect it to be a problem.”

Thompson suggested UCLA might need to speed up the tempo but reiterated that Howland won’t compromise.

“Regardless of how the game is called, he wants us to set the tone and be aggressive,” he said.

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TONIGHT

vs. Oregon State, 8, Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Pauley Pavilion.

Radio -- XTRA (1150/690).

Records -- Oregon State 6-4; UCLA 4-3.

Update -- In one of the low points for UCLA’s forgettable 10-19 team last season, Oregon State defeated the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion. It marked the first time since 1988 the Beavers swept the Los Angeles schools and was UCLA’s eighth consecutive home loss. Other history bodes better for the Bruins: Oregon State has lost its last eight Pac-10 openers; UCLA has won its last three. Forward David Lucas and guard Chris Stephens each average 15 points for Oregon State, a small team whose center, Derek Potter, averages 1.4 points and 1.6 rebounds.