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Bruins still struggling on the boards

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A day before another opponent schooled UCLA on how to rebound, the Bruins went old school to improve in that area.

The Bruins implemented an old-fashioned drill during practice Tuesday in which players had to let the ball bounce once after a miss before they could rebound it.

“It teaches you to really hold your block-out and it makes everybody do it,” UCLA Coach Ben Howland said Friday.

Still, UCLA had several players miss block-out assignments Wednesday night in a 60-47 win over Eastern Washington, which out-rebounded the Bruins by 10 overall and by 12 on the offensive boards.

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“It’s something we’ve got to continue to talk about and drill every day,” Howland said.

Rebounding wouldn’t seem to be an issue for a team with so much size, as UCLA has four players who are 6 feet 10.

But it is.

The Bruins (4-5) have been out-rebounded in five of their last six games.

That shouldn’t be the case against UC Davis (1-8). The Aggies have been out-rebounded in all but one game this season.

Wear questionable

Forward Travis Wear (skin infection) was released from a hospital Thursday but did not practice Friday, and it’s unclear if UCLA’s second-leading scorer will play Saturday.

“Hopefully he’ll be able to play,” Howland said.

Wear, who averages 10.6 points per game, was hospitalized Tuesday because of a skin infection on his left foot that Howland said is related to a snorkeling accident in Maui last month.

Wear cut his foot then, during his team’s stay for the Maui Invitational, and it required five stitches.

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The stitches were removed a week ago but redness in that area appeared Tuesday, Howland said.

Wear stayed in the hospital Wednesday, too, and the infection responded to antibiotics.

Jones on upswing

In his last four games, guard Lazeric Jones is averaging 18.8 points and shooting 26 for 41 from the field, including 11 for 16 on three-point attempts.

But that surge followed a huge slump, when Jones made only 12 of his first 49 shots to start the season.

On Tuesday, before he scored 19 against Eastern Washington, Jones elaborated on his improved play.

“Just staying confident, staying with it, picking my shots, taking my time,” Jones said. “Coach stressed to me about being patient, letting the offense come to me, and lately I’ve been falling into shots.”

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Jones cut open his chin against Eastern Washington but Howland said he’s fine.

baxter.holmes@latimes.com

twitter.com/baxterholmes

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