Thu, Jan 29, 2004 page20

• UCLA's loss to Cal marks downturn

  • NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE
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  The feel-good moments UCLA experienced in the first six weeks of the season and the optimism bred from an unexpectedly strong start in the Pacific-10 Conference are long gone.

  They have been yanked away along with the multitude of offensive rebounds the Bruins' opponents are getting, lost like the UCLA defense at critical junctures when a stop is needed.

  In what Bruins coach Ben Howland called the "biggest game of the year," UCLA stood by helplessly Saturday as California dominated the boards late in the second half -- Cal grabbed seven offensive rebounds in the final 6 minutes, 39 seconds. And the Bruins were sent crashing to their third consecutive loss, 76-62 at Haas Pavilion.

  Atop the Pac-10 standings and joining Stanford as one of two undefeated teams in the conference a week ago, UCLA (9-6, 5-3) now finds itself lumped with a handful of other teams, lost in the middle of the standings rather than creating separation as one of the top three or four teams.

  "It's very frustrating," Bruins freshman Trevor Ariza said. "I just can't wait until we get to the practice and do a whole lot to work on it. If it's one of those things where I have to stay back and not go in transition, that's what I'll do."

  Cal forward Leon Powe had 19 points and 14 rebounds and the Bears (8-8, 4-3) won consecutive games for the first time this season.

  "He took over the game just by going to the glass," Howland said of the freshman. "He just was strong, aggressive and tough. He wanted it more. We missed some key blockouts."

  UCLA and Cal each had 38 rebounds, with 11 at the offensive end, but it was the timing and what the Bears did with theirs late in the second half that made the difference. Of course, this was different than the past two games, when the Bruins were shoved around by national powers Arizona and Stanford. This, after all, was sub-.500 Cal.

  "I guess we just want the ball when it goes up and we're not thinking about boxing out," Ariza said. "If we want to win, that's what we're going to have to do. Guys are just going for the ball."

  UCLA's meltdown began with 6:39 to play and Cal protecting a 55-52 lead. Instead of UCLA making a strong defensive stop and getting a chance to cut further into the deficit, Cal's Dominic McGuire got an offensive rebound, which suddenly became fashionable. Within a minute, Powe grabbed three offensive rebounds and scored twice to pad the lead to 59-52 and cut the soul out of a Bruins' team that had rallied from an early 12-point deficit to take a one-point lead at the half.

  "Nobody was boxing out," UCLA forward Josiah Johnson said. "I think (rebounding) is 90 percent effort. It's hard work. I think it's also bounces."

  More infuriating to Howland and frustrating for the Bruins was Cal's ability to get four offensive rebounds off missed free throws, three of which went to Powe.

  "The easiest blockout you can have is when you're inside on a free-throw situation because you know they're trying to push you," Howland said. "You know where he is exactly, and that was disappointing."

  Powe said his success came from knowing exactly how UCLA was trying to keep him away from the basket.

  "They were leaning on us hard, and when they do that you can spin off and go to the glass," Powe said. "After the first half, we all made it a point to go for offensive rebounds, and we knew we could get them on the offensive glass."

  Not only was Cal beating them to rebounds for easy chances, but the Bruins also couldn't find an offensive rhythm to remain within striking distance.
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