Bruised, Battered Bruins Brace for Wildcat Strike

TUCSON —  No more X-rays for Earl Watson. After getting roughly 10 in three years, he’s through for a while.

“I started getting so many, I was getting a little worried about radiation,” said UCLA’s oft-injured point guard, who took a hard spill Thursday against Arizona State, bruising his right hip and lower back.

Watson walked without a limp Friday and said he will be ready for today’s game against No. 17 Arizona. He said he seldom takes medication but has made an exception in this case.

“This is one of those games you don’t want to miss,” said Watson, who is averaging 15.8 points and 6.1 assists for the Bruins, winners of six consecutive games. “It’s going to be very emotional and very intense. For players who love to compete, you live for games like these.”

Maybe that’s why forward Matt Barnes and center Dan Gadzuric, both battered and bruised, have no doubt they also will be ready to play.

Gadzuric is nursing a back injury he suffered against Villanova, when he played only nine minutes. He had 11 rebounds against Arizona State but never found his shooting groove, finishing with six points.

Barnes planted wrong while making a cut in the first half against the Sun Devils, spraining the arch of his right foot. The pain didn’t settle in until after the game. He used crutches to get around the team hotel Friday morning, although he said they were precautionary.

“I won’t take [an injection],” Barnes said. “If I’m hurt, I won’t play. But I’ll be out there; I’m going to play.”

That should come as some relief to the Bruins, who are looking to knock off Arizona on the road for the first time in four seasons. Barnes is key to that effort, not only because of his scoring and rebounding, but because he’s the point man on their press.

“You can build a case that Matt’s been at least as consistent as any player we’ve had,” Coach Steve Lavin said. “We need him at both ends of the floor.”

Barnes plays another role too, one that most people don’t see. He’s in charge of mixing it up with Gadzuric at practice in an effort to toughen up the big man in the low post. It’s actually an enjoyable assignment for Barnes, who at one point had hopes of playing tight end on the UCLA football team.

“Football gave me an advantage--I’m used to hitting people,” he said. “Dan’s a big player, but he needs someone pushing on him 24 hours a day. Bumping on him.”

And Barnes knows how to bump. Just ask Arizona State forward Awvee Storey, who tangled with him on several occasions in Thursday’s game. The two played mental games too, barking back and forth. At one point, while another player was shooting free throws, Barnes stepped across the lane and calmly said a few words to Storey.

“That got him mad,” said Barnes, who declined to disclose what he said. “We had a laugh about it after the game. I think I got him. He was getting frustrated. But he got me frustrated too. It went back and forth.”

Rest assured, the mental games will continue today. The Wildcats have Coach Lute Olson back and are looking to sweep the Bruins, as they did last season. UCLA is determined to prove its hot streak isn’t a fluke.

“We have a lot more confidence now than we did three weeks ago,” Barnes said. “This game is always a measuring stick for both teams.”

He then excused himself and walked away, limping less with each step.