Men’s Basketball Notebook

  ELI GILL

Junior Jason Kapono drives through the defense
in the Bruins’ victory over Washington State.

Jason jumpers jumping out

After averaging 21.6 points per game in UCLA’s first eight
games, junior Jason Kapono’s production has fallen off
recently. He is averaging just 15.0 points in the past five
games.

Head coach Steve Lavin attributes the lower point total to
opposing defenses that are concentrating on Kapono.

“Teams think that if they shut down Kapono, they have a
chance to beat UCLA,” Lavin said.

Jason Kapono was selected as a Top 30 candidate to win the John
R. Wooden Award, given to the best player in college
basketball.

Thirty to one

UCLA is currently listed at 30:1 to win the NCAA Championships.
Other Pac-10 teams stand in a similar spot. Arizona is 30:1.
Stanford is 40:1. USC is 75:1.

The favorite? Duke at 13:10.

Solid Barnes

Forward Matt Barnes is quietly having one of the best seasons of
his career. The senior is averaging 11.3 points and a team-high 6.1
rebounds.

“He’s underrated and kind of the unsung hero of our
team,” Lavin said.

Lavin was especially complimentary of Barnes’ ability to
pass the ball the length of the floor on inbounds, helping UCLA get
quick points.

Raucous Rico

All indications are that guard Rico Hines will continue to start
even after point guard Cedric Bozeman returns to 100 percent from
his knee injury.

“We’ve won nine straight and have good chemistry
right now,” Lavin said. “(Bozeman) will be like T.J.
(Cummings) ““ he won’t be a starter even though
he’s a starter.”

UCLA is 9-0 since inserting Hines into the starting lineup and
gives up an average of only 67.9 points per game. They were 2-2
with Bozeman starting, giving up 78.3 ppg.

Pac-10 notes

Arizona State center Chad Prewitt was named Pac-10 Player of the
Week. He averaged 26.0 ppg and 10 rpg as the Sun Devils swept the
Arizona schools … Cal had lost 10 straight games to Stanford
before snapping the streak with a 68-54 win on Sunday … The
Pac-10 has a 69-25 (.734) record against non-conference opponents
this year … The Pac-10 has the second highest RPI among college
basketball conferences at .5925. The Southeastern Conference is
first at .5929.

Notes compiled by Greg Schain, Daily Bruin Reporter.