The Point Is, UCLA Wins Fifth in a Row

What’s a UCLA five-game revival worth these days?

About a Dollar and some change.

For the fifth consecutive time since Cameron Dollar’s injured right pinky forced him into a bench role, UCLA’s new lineup delivered a victory Saturday afternoon, a 92-58 rout over road-weary San Francisco before 11,495 at Pauley Pavilion.

Though Dollar, the team’s usual point guard, was statistically silent in 13 minutes of action Saturday, once again, his presence--or non-presence--had deep reverberations.

Dollar’s replacement in the lineup, Kris Johnson, had the best game of his Bruin career, scoring 17 points on eight-of-nine shooting, and Toby Bailey, operating as the starting point guard, continued his scorching play with a game-high 20 points and made five of his nine three-point attempts.

With UCLA’s Pacific 10 Conference schedule set to start Thursday against Washington State at Spokane, and with memories of his team’s 2-3 start, Coach Jim Harrick isn’t about to change anything now--especially with Dollar’s right pinky still in a bandage when he plays.

“I like this lineup,” Harrick said after UCLA improved to 7-3. “We’re going to start the conference like this. I want that wrap off his hand before we do anything different.”

Dollar, for his part, pointed out that Bailey has lifted his game to meet the demands of running the offense, and that, like last season, he is playing an important part as UCLA’s off-the-bench lightning rod in times of trouble.

At least twice in the Bruin streak, Dollar has come off the bench to provide instant poise and defensive intensity--and he admits that since he has been a substitute for most of his college career, he is comfortable doing it.

“I couldn’t care less about a starting spot or whatever,” Dollar said. “If I come off the bench, and we can play like we’re playing now, I’ll come off the bench for the rest of my career.

“When I’m coming off the bench, I guess I add a different spice, and when I’m starting, there’s really nobody off the bench who can add spice to the mixture.”

Since he moved from off guard to the starting point guard role Dec. 9 in a victory over Maryland, Bailey has looked calm and confident.

In that span, Bailey has recorded his first triple-double (against Stephen F. Austin Dec. 18) and made 18 of his 30 attempts from behind the three-point line--after starting the season eight-for-23 from that distance.

“I think the high percentage I’m shooting this year is because now I don’t have to think, ‘I’ve got the ball, I’ve got to shoot the ball because this is one of the few times I’m going to get it,’ ” Bailey said. “I know I’ll be touching the ball the whole game, and that means I’ll get my shots.”

On Saturday, the Bruin onslaught was gradual, inevitable, and, eventually, torrential.

USF (6-5) flew all day Friday after playing successive nights in the University of New Orleans Christmas tournament, and, after giving UCLA a tough first 25 minutes (the Bruins were up by only four, 49-45, with 15:09 left to play), was outscored, 43-14.

“They overpowered us,” said USF Coach Phil Mathews. “My team will never be intimidated--the Bruins are just better.”

With Kevin Dempsey coming off the bench to score six of his eight points in the second half, and with center Jelani McCoy blocking five shots overall, UCLA took off on an 11-4 run over a 3:16 span that gave the Bruins a double-digit lead that all but clinched it.

“I think our second half was as good as we’ve played all year long,” Harrick said. “We finally got a little energy.”

The new producer was Johnson, who has been inconsistent this season--even after being inserted into the starting lineup opposite Bailey when Dollar went to the bench.

Harrick moved the 6-foot-5 Johnson from the wing to the low post in the second half, and he dominated the obviously wearying Dons for 12 of his points in that period.

“He plays like that in practice all the time,” Harrick said of Johnson. “We were moving him around, and then we put him inside in the second half, and he really lights up like a Christmas tree when he goes inside. That’s the way we’ve been waiting for him to play.”

Said Johnson: “I finally started playing basketball like I know how to play. And I hit my first shot. Every game, I’ve never hit my first shot. This is the first time. And from then on I just had a hot hand.

“When I start, I try to be more under control, not do the crazy stuff I was doing earlier.”