UCLA Is Already on Run

UCLA hasn’t lost its first two Pacific 10 Conference games since the 1987-88 season when the Bruins under coach Walt Hazzard lost at California and then in double overtime to Stanford. UCLA finished second in the Pac-10.

Oregon will be favored to put UCLA in an 0-2 conference hole today. The Ducks are second in the Pac-10 in scoring offense, second in field-goal percentage and third in three-point shooting percentage.

They run the court well, they have a pair of guards who know how to use the dribble and their quickness to penetrate and score or kick the ball out. They have big, strong inside players. They are young -- two freshmen and two sophomores start and there is no senior on the roster -- but Coach Ernie Kent’s Ducks have a style.

“They run the court,” UCLA Coach Ben Howland said. “They get the ball inbounds before they’ve even been out of bounds.”

In other words, the Ducks run, run, run.

After Friday’s 85-80 loss at Oregon State, where freshman point guard Jordan Farmar had nine turnovers -- “And it could have been 10,” said Howland after watching the ugly film -- and his freshman backcourt mate Arron Afflalo managed only four shots and scored a season-low three points, Howland pointed to Farmar and gave him a challenge.

It will be Farmar’s job on defense to stop sophomore Aaron Brooks, Oregon’s leading scorer who stung USC for 34 points Friday. “Yes,” Howland said, “that has got to be the matchup. Brooks is very quick and very good.”

Farmar, who did not speak to reporters after Friday’s loss, came to the hotel lobby Saturday morning with his baseball cap at a jaunty sideways angle and with a straightforward declaration.

“I love challenges,” Farmar said. “I’m up to the challenge. I’m excited to get out there again.”

Farmar said he would ask UCLA video coordinator Scott Garson to gather all the angles of Brooks against USC.

He also admitted that maybe playing on the road in the Pac-10 was tougher than he expected. “A lot of shots go in for them that might not on the road. They play better defense when the crowd is in it,” Farmar said.

The nine turnovers, Farmar said, were unacceptable. “It’s me trying to make things happen,” he said. “I’m trying to do too much. I just end up making mistakes.”

It is defense that has Howland concerned. Oregon State made 10 of 16 three-point baskets against UCLA.

Oregon made 11 of 20 from long range against USC and shot 56% from the field.

“Oregon shoots 56%, USC shoots 54%,” Howland said. “If you get a team that could defend, you’d have a chance in this league.”

In big games against good teams, UCLA hasn’t been that team.

When Howland started the second half against Oregon State in a zone, the Beavers made it look like a shoot-around.

“I don’t believe in the zone,” Howland said.

While the zone won’t be UCLA’s future, Howland says he feels he needs that defense sometimes because the Bruins lack depth and because Dijon Thompson, a slight 6-foot-7, 209-pounder, will have trouble defensively in man-to-man against the bigger, bulkier players he must guard now that he has taken over from Ryan Hollins at the power forward position.

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TODAY

at Oregon, 4 p.m.

Site -- McArthur Court, Eugene, Ore.

Radio -- XTRA (1150, 690).

Records -- Bruins 6-3 overall, 0-1 in Pacific 10 Conference; Ducks 9-1, 1-0.

Update -- Howland gets an up-close look at two freshmen he recruited hard, starting forward Malik Hairston and backup forward Maarty Leunen. Hairston, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound slasher, is the Ducks’ second-leading scorer (13.6 ppg.) and Leunen, a hard-nosed 6-9, 210-pound power forward, is averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 points in 18.4 minutes a game. Howland particularly praised Leunen, who plays the position where the Bruins are lacking now that Hollins has buried himself deep on the bench with his desultory play.

A key for UCLA will be its ability to handle Oregon’s guards, particularly Brooks, who is dangerous in scoring off the dribble and driving to the basket, two areas where the Bruins have had trouble defensively.

Howland had hoped to use Janou Rubin to shore up his backcourt rotation, but the guard is questionable because of a swollen left knee, an injury not disclosed to Howland until 10 minutes before Friday’s loss to Oregon State.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

*--* PAC-10 STANDINGS Conference All Games W L Pct. W L Pct. Washington 1 0 1.000 11 1 917 Oregon 1 0 1.000 9 1 900 Oregon St. 1 0 1.000 9 3 750 Wash. St. 1 0 1.000 6 4 600 Arizona St. 0 0 000 11 1 916 Arizona 0 0 000 10 2 833 UCLA 0 1 000 6 3 667 California 0 1 000 7 4 636 USC 0 1 000 7 5 583 Stanford 0 1 000 6 5 545

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Today’s Schedule

* USC at Oregon State, 2 p.m.

* UCLA at Oregon, 4 p.m.

* Stanford at Washington, 12:30 p.m.

* Arizona State at Arizona, 1:30 p.m.

* California at Washington State, 2 p.m.