[0] BARNES BIG FOR UCLA DOWN STRETCH BRUINS SET FOR NO. 1 STANFORD UCLA 79, CALIFORNIA 75.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

Just when it looked as if Saturday wasn't going to mean anything for UCLA, Matt Barnes meant everything.

Barnes, held scoreless in last month's 29-point rout at Cal, redeemed himself in a big way Thursday night, leading UCLA to a 79-75 win over Cal before 11,753 at Pauley Pavilion in a game that was as gripping and intense as an NCAA Tournament game.

Barnes' scoop shot with a minute left put UCLA ahead for good, and his free throw with 6.5 seconds left sealed the win.

UCLA (20-6, 13-2) won its eighth game in a row and 16th of the last 18 to set up Saturday's showdown with No. 1-ranked Stanford, which leads UCLA by a game and hopes to avenge its only loss of the season.

Barnes scored 13 points, but it may have been as complete a game as he's ever played as a Bruin.

He grabbed nine rebounds, had seven assists and no turnovers, and was the only Bruin who provided any resistance for Cal star Sean Lampley, who scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

The Bruins also got a gutty contribution from Earl Watson, who struggled to defend Cal point guard Shantay Legans. Watson scored 20 points, had three assists and four turnovers. But his two 3-pointers were the only jump shots the Bruins hit in the second half.

Billy Knight scored all 14 of his points in the first half, while Jason Kapono contributed 14 points and Dan Gadzuric added 11 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

Barnes' scoop shot in traffic underneath Cal center Solomon Hughes put UCLA ahead 76-74 with one minute left.

Cal then used a high-low set to try to dump the ball into Lampley, who was being fronted by Barnes. But when Hughes lobbed the pass over Barnes, Jason Kapono came over from the weak side and knocked the ball off Lampley and out of bounds with 38.7 seconds left.

After Kapono nearly had the ball swiped away by Joe Shipp, the Bears finally fouled him with 24.8 seconds left. He made both free throws to put UCLA ahead, 78-74.

Cal had one last shot. After Shantay Legans made one free throw with 12 seconds left, but after he missed the second, the ball was tipped back to where he recovered it. The ball found its way to Dennis Gates, whose long 3-pointer was straight but off the back of the rim.

Barnes grabbed the rebound, was fouled with 6.5 seconds left and made the second of two free throws to seal the win.

Cal (19-8, 10-5) used an 8-0 run at the start of the second half to take its biggest lead, 50-44. Then the Bears put the ball in the hands of Lampley.

Barnes picked up three fouls guarding him, and when Barnes went to the bench with his third early in the second half, nobody else had any success.

Ray Young went to the bench with his fourth foul by the 13:55 mark and the Bruins also tried Gadzuric and Kapono on the 6-7 forward.

Watson, who had trouble with the quickness of Legans on the defensive end, took advantage of his size on the other hand.

He took Legans into the lane and hit a short jumper over him to bring UCLA even, 56-56, with 11 1/2 minutes left.

But Legans hit a 3-pointer at the other end and Cal built its lead back up to six, 65-59, when Shipp's 3-pointer bounced twice and in with 8:52 left.

Trailing 67-61, the Bruins went on an 8-0 run to take a 69-67 lead on Young's two free throws with 5:27 to play.

The Bruins figured there was no way Cal would shoot 60 percent from the field again and at the start they were correct. The Bears missed their first six shots from the field and by the time Hughes tipped in Brian Wethers' miss, Cal already trailed by six points.

UCLA continued to keep the game at an up-tempo pace and led 18-11 when Kapono hit an open 3-pointer.

But Cal began to limit UCLA's transition opportunities and the Bruins began to look stagnant in their half-court offense, often relying on broken plays to score.

Cal caught the Bruins when Lampley arched a turnaround jumper in the post over Gadzuric to tie the score, 26-26, with 5:50 left in the half. The Bears took a 31-30 lead on Legans' 3-pointer with 3:43 left.

Then Knight took over.

He hit three consecutive 3-pointers, including one from about 25 feet and the Bruins took a 39-37 lead into the half.

He also earned a five-second call on Legans with 13.3 seconds left as Cal was trying to hold the ball for the final shot of the half.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo: (color) UCLA's Earl Watson, left, battles Cal's Dennis Gates for a loose ball Thursday night.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

Box: (1) PAC 10 STANDINGS

(2) Thursday's games