Madness Starts Early for UCLA, USC

UCLA, along with Arizona and Stanford, for years resisted resurrecting the Pacific 10 Conference tournament, concerned schools might lose money, players would miss class time and an early loss would hurt NCAA tournament seeding.

The Bruins relented when a television deal with Fox alleviated money concerns and it was agreed the tournament would always be at Staples Center, casting the decisive vote that enabled the event to take place last season for the first time since 1990.

Never in their wildest dreams did the Bruins believe the tournament would provide their only hope of qualifying for the NCAA tournament. After all, UCLA has been to the tournament 14 years in a row.

But with a 7-18 record, the Bruins are in the unfamiliar position of underdog, clinging to the remote dream of reeling off three victories in a row in the conference tournament March 13-15.

First things first. UCLA must get into the conference tournament by finishing eighth or better.

The Bruins, tied for eighth with Washington, could finish as high as sixth with victories this week in the regular-season finales against Washington State and Washington and a combination of results in games involving other teams.

Or they could finish ninth and miss the cut with losses in both games.

A victory over Washington on Saturday ensures a berth, but UCLA must win tonight as well to have any chance of finishing higher than eighth and avoiding No. 1 Arizona in the first round.

Landing the No. 7 or No. 6 seeding would mean facing Stanford or California. The Bruins split with Cal and one of their two losses to Stanford was by a point.

So it comes back to winning. The Bruins defeated Washington State and Washington on the road but are only 3-10 at home.

“It’s like a championship week moved up,” Coach Steve Lavin said.

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An 11th-hour kick in the pants came courtesy of former UCLA guard Baron Davis, who plays for the New Orleans Hornets. He challenged the Bruins to show maximum effort the last week of the season.

“It’s like they don’t care,” he told the Daily Bruin after the Hornets defeated the Clippers on Monday. “They gave up before the season even started.

“I think UCLA is just as talented as [his Bruin teams in 1997-99], but when you give up as a whole and when your leader gives up, you’re never going to win.”

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Washington State point guard Marcus Moore was supposed to be out for the season because of an ankle injury. But his surprise return sparked the Cougars to a 98-76 victory over Washington on Saturday. Moore, a junior who grew up in Inglewood, scored 23 points in 26 minutes. He had surgery Jan. 24 to remove bone fragments.

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TONIGHT

vs. Washington State, 7:30

Site -- Pauley Pavilion.

Radio -- XTRA (690, 1150).

Records -- UCLA 7-18 overall, 4-12 in Pacific 10; Washington State 7-18, 2-14.

Update -- Washington State has never won at Pauley Pavilion, has lost 20 in a row to UCLA and is winless on the road.