ONLINE EXTRA: M.Hoops Notebook

CATHERINE JAYIN JUN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Ryan
Walcott goes for two in a game against USC.

Flyin’ Ryan

Head coach Steve Lavin had nothing but praise for freshman Ryan
Walcott after his performance against the Arizona schools last
weekend.

Walcott played 26 minutes over the two game span, including a
career-high 14 at Arizona.

“He commits no turnovers, he’s extremely quick and
he has a keen awareness and alertness,” Lavin said.
“And he’s real confident.”

Lavin added that Walcott and freshman Cedric Bozeman will be the
only players who will rotate at the point guard position for the
rest of the season, barring injuries.

Foul Smell

Early foul trouble has haunted center Dan Gadzuric in
UCLA’s last three games.

The senior is averaging just 19 minutes per game over the
three-game span and has fouled out in each of them.

“He’s got to get ground bound, and go for less
blocked shots,” Lavin said.

He also said that the team needs to do a better job protecting
Gadzuric if it wants to win the Stanford game because Stanford is a
team that likes to attack inside.

“When Dan’s not in the game, we lose a big
advantage,” Lavin said. “So we want to make a concerted
effort to make sure he’s not in foul trouble.”

Blowing leads

The Bruins have played four ranked opponents this year and have
opened up large leads against all of them.

Except three quarters of the time, the lead has or almost has
fizzled away.

UCLA led Georgetown by 22, but the Hoyas eventually closed to
seven before losing by that same margin.

The Bruins also led Kansas by 15, but the Jayhawks got to within
three before UCLA was able to hang on.

And against Arizona last weekend, UCLA led by 20 before choking
the lead away and losing by 10.

“I’ve got to do a better job of playing aggressive
and playing smarter when we have big leads,” Lavin said.

The Bruins did manage to beat Alabama by 22 earlier in the
season.

Injury Update

True freshman Dijon Thompson sprained his ankle during the first
half of Thursday’s ASU game.

He was in a walking boot and was scheduled to do the exercise
bike Tuesday, but should be ready to go against Stanford.

“It’ll be OK,” Thompson said. “I
won’t be affected by it come gametime.”

Where Are You T.J.?

After getting off to a hot start, sophomore T.J. Cummings’
production has fizzled recently.

Over the past five games, Cummings is averaging just four points
per game in 17 minutes.

“T.J.’s been struggling his first two years here,
but I just tell him to keep his head in it,” senior Matt
Barnes said. “I told him to let the game come to
him.”

Notes compiled by Greg Schain, Daily Bruin Reporter.