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Thursday, March 19, 1998

Davis' season over, not UCLA's

PREVIEW Injury forces Bruins to face Kentucky without freshman guard

By Emmanuelle Ejercito

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Call them the Bad News Bruins.

Just when it seemed that everything that could happen did happen to the South's sixth-seeded UCLA men's basketball team, another bombshell dropped.

The Bruins (24-8) received the news on Monday that freshman starting guard Baron Davis tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the Michigan game last Sunday. The injury will force Davis to miss the remainder of the season. Thus, when UCLA takes on Kentucky (31-4) on Friday in Florida, the Bruins will be short one of their best players, making a hard task even harder for UCLA.

However, the loss of Davis just falls in line with the melee of events that the Bruin squad has experienced over the last two years.

"I think definitely we are prepared for something like this more than other teams," senior Kris Johnson said. "I think other teams would have been devastated by this, probably would have folded. But I don't think we are. I think that we have too much pride and too many bad things have happened to us that this doesn't stick a dagger in our hearts. I think that we will bounce back from this."

Davis injured his knee when he came down awkwardly after a dunk in the first half against the Wolverines. Davis came out of the game with 10:58 left in the half. He was examined in the locker room, but would return to play with 16:38 to go in the second half. However, he picked up his fourth foul with 12:51 remaining and sat on the bench for most of the game. Davis played a total of 14 minutes.

"I really didn't think it was serious," Davis said. "It's not painful at all, I'm able to walk around."

To make up for Davis' absence, a lot of weight will be put on the shoulders of the other freshman starting guard, Earl Watson. After a lukewarm performance versus Miami, Watson had a solid game against Michigan. Watson had 10 points, four rebounds and two steals in the second-round game.

"I think that I got focused better, more relaxed and had fun (in the Michigan game)," Watson said. "I was really nervous (before the Miami) game. I wasn't even nervous before my first college basketball game, but the NCAA Tournament is something different. I think that the hardest game is over, the first round is the hardest, from here out it's just fun."

"I feel that (Watson) has the talent and the feel to pick up the slack for both of us, and he's been doing that a lot this year," Davis said. "When I fouled out he's been there - he pulls out a clutch performance and the type of player he is, he's going to step up."

However, Watson isn't the only freshman that the spotlight will shine a little brighter on. It will be either Rico Hines or Travis Reed who will fill Davis' spot on the starting line-up. However, UCLA head coach Steve Lavin has yet to decide which of those two it will be.

Reed was a big factor in UCLA's second-round victory over Michigan, putting forth one of his best efforts this season. The 6 foot, 6 inch freshman played 22 minutes, scored 11 points while shooting four of five from the field, and pulled down three rebounds. He also helped contain Wolverine big man Robert Traylor.

Meanwhile, Hines has been an injection of energy off the bench. Though his numbers aren't anything to be in awe of, Hines contributes with his hustle play. Many a time the 6 foot 3 inch forward has kept the ball alive for the Bruins. And on the defensive end, Hines took a critical charge as Michigan tried to climb back into the game.

"With Rico we have more quickness on our pressure, with Travis we are a little bigger in terms of size and strengths under the boards," said Lavin discussing his options.

The loss of Davis not only creates a hole in the starting line-up, but it depletes the already-shallow bench even more. And fatigue may become a major factor for the Bruins as they face a deep Kentucky team that likes to run. But despite the fact that UCLA faces tough odds against last year's national runner-up, the Bruins are optimistic about their chances.

"Don't get me wrong, Baron is a tremendous loss. We're not saying that we can win it without him, that's just the mindset we have to take," Johnson said. "He's gone and we can't do anything about it. So I think once we convince ourselves that we can win it without him, we are going to win it.

"This is a business trip and the seniors have set goals. We don't want this to be our last game."