Toughness Again Takes a Powder

If the UCLA weight room needs some new wallpaper this summer, maybe somebody from the basketball team can start by pasting up this:

They weren’t just knocked out of the NCAA tournament, they were bullied out.

They didn’t lose because they couldn’t shoot, they lost because they couldn’t fight.

This time they couldn’t blame it on being young.

This time they had to blame it on being soft.

It wasn’t a game, it was a cliche, the powder-blue California kids pounded into next season by the spur-jangling Texas kids, 78-66, losing to a Texas Tech team that shrugged.

“Well, you know, we play in a physical conference,” said Darryl Dora. “We see this kind of thing every night. You have to play like this.”

This, meaning outscoring the Bruins by 20 points in the paint.

This, meaning shooting 62% on a variety of short jumpers and runners and just plain in-your-face layups.

This, meaning a shoving defense and screening offense that left the Bruins breathless.

“We need to get in the weight room,” Coach Ben Howland said afterward, shaking his head.

The game began when Howland walked to midcourt to engage in the customary pregame handshake with Texas Tech Coach Bob Knight ... and Knight never moved from in front of his bench.

Knight never even looked at Howland, who sort of sheepishly shook hands with the officials instead.

It was a typical snub from one of the only guys in the world who has publicly criticized John Wooden.

What happened next was, sadly for the Pac-10, also typical.

The Red Raiders took an 8-0 lead by driving to the basket and either scoring or getting fouled, driving at will, driving around or over or wherever.

The Bruins were knocked into their pep band and did not lead once in the next two hours.

Remember last weekend when Arizona Coach Lute Olson complained about the lack of respect given to Pac-10 teams?

This is why that respect is lacking.

The stereotype that the USC football team crushed in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma still lives in basketball, pinning UCLA to the McKale Center floor in a haze of sharp elbows and swinging hips.

Texas Tech was so swarming that afterward, Bruin Dijon Thompson said in amazement that their starting guards never left the game.

When, in fact, both guys spent a couple of minutes on the bench.

“This is just the way we play in practice, every practice,” said Texas Tech guard Jarrius Jackson.

How so?

“Well, in practice, we never call any fouls,” he explained with a grin. “We just play right through.”

Jackson combined with fellow guard Ronald Ross to score 47 of Tech’s 78 points.

While the lighter, looser UCLA guards, Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmer, combined to make two baskets.

UCLA was thrown around the court not only on the outside, but, as always, on the inside, where Texas Tech had two blocks of the Bruins’ seven-footers while outrebounding the bigger team, 31-25.

“They have some really big kids there,” the 6-foot-9 Dora said with an amazed smile. “It sort of surprised us, what we were able to do.”

Here’s guessing it didn’t surprise Howland.

He joined the Bruins two springs ago promising to bring in more talent and toughness.

He’s got the talent part right. Now he needs to work on the toughness, and he knows it.

If his team didn’t know it before Thursday, it does now.

“There’s no question,” said Howland. “I talked to the kids tonight, and they all need to get in that weight room and develop. You could see the physical difference at times tonight. Their physical ability really stood out.”

The Bruins’ screens folded, while the Red Raiders’ screens flattened.

“They were able to use that to penetrate and get all kind of things,” Bruin Michael Fey said with a hint of wonder. “Layups, floaters, everything, they do it.”

The Bruins’ defense gawked, while the Red Raiders’ defense grabbed.

“We knew we couldn’t let them push us around, or it would be bad,” said Texas Tech’s Ross.

Bad, as in Knight coming off the bench and screaming at them, something that didn’t happen. His 853rd career win -- third best all-time -- was surely one of his quieter ones.

In fact, the only time he seemed loud all night was when he came into the locker room during postgame interviews and shouted for his players to hustle to the bus.

“That’s him,” Jackson said with a little laugh. “He always has us moving.”

Whether the Bruins will move to the next level next season depends on a couple of things.

First, some names: Alfred Aboya, Luc Richard Mbha Moute and Ryan Wright.

All are highly touted kids between 6 feet 7 and 6 feet 9, and all are coming to UCLA next season.

Next, a date

“April 5, we’re going to start working out,” Howland said. “We have all of April, May and June. We will get stronger.”

The Bruins’ returning to the tournament for the first time in three years was a step.

But they won’t go any farther without a stomp.

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.