ALARM CLOCK RINGS IN TIME FOR UCLA UCLA 79, WASHINGTON ST. 74.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

PULLMAN, Wash. - The UCLA basketball team walked out on the court during pregame introductions as if it were being dragged out of bed. Instead of bouncing out to midcourt, the Bruins shuffled. After looking around nearly empty Friel Court, the players who weren't giggling were trying to stifle yawns.

With snow covering the Palouse, temperatures near freezing and an opponent they'd beaten 17 consecutive times, the Bruins - if they weren't in hibernation - were ready for a long winter's nap.

And they took one for most of the afternoon, waking up in time to rally from a nine-point deficit in the final 11 minutes to score a 79-74 victory Saturday over Washington State in front of a crowd of 2,410.

It was UCLA's fifth consecutive win and completed its first sweep in Washington in five years, but it was one the 19th-ranked Bruins (7-2, 2-0 Pacific-10 Conference) would like to sleep off.

``We needed to wake up,'' said guard Billy Knight, noting that the noon start was the earliest of the season. ``We were up at 8 o'clock and it took us awhile to adjust to the cold and the gym. We were real sluggish.''

It was the third consecutive game in which the Bruins had to rally from a halftime deficit - all against inferior opponents.

``We didn't play well and we didn't play 40 minutes,'' forward Matt Barnes said. ``We have to pick it up in the first half. If we go out like that against Arizona or Stanford, we'll be down by 20 at halftime.''

The Bruins were rescued by center Dan Gadzuric, who scored 20 points in his second consecutive strong game, some clutch play in the closing minutes from Jason Kapono and every break they needed from the officials to come away with the victory.

Washington State was called for nearly twice as many fouls as the Bruins (25-13), ended up with three starters fouled out and found itself on the wrong end of three crucial calls in the final 90 seconds.

``I'm going to have to say, `no comment,' because I can't,'' said Washington State coach Paul Graham, aware that Pacific-10 Conference supervisor of officials Lou Campanelli was at the game. ``I think you guys saw the same game I did.''

Washington State players also were careful with their words. While Mike Bush, when asked in the interview room about the officials, said he thought a particular call was OK, teammate Marcus Moore, seated next to him, rolled his eyes, smiled and shook his head. Then, he bit his tongue.

``Oh, I can't say anything,'' said Moore, who fouled out with 1:55 to play when he was whistled for grabbing Kapono 30 feet away from the ball.

Moore's absence was critical for the Cougars. The 6-foot-6 point guard, a member of the freshmen All-Pac-10 team last year, led WSU with 17 points, eight assists and penetrated the Bruins' zone as if he were strolling through the neighboring alfalfa fields.

``When Marcus fouled out, now you have Thomas Kelati (at point guard),'' Graham said. ``He was at Walla Walla (High) last year.''

The Bruins, meanwhile, did what the Cougars could not - they put the ball in the hands of their best player, Kapono. He scored a season-low 14 points but led UCLA with eight rebounds and clutch plays. He scored six points and had a critical offensive rebound in the final 1:55.

Kapono scored the go-ahead basket when, after Bush fell to the floor trying to take a charge, he gathered himself and hit a 6-foot jumper on the baseline to give UCLA a 73-71 lead with 1:17 left.

The Cougars (4-5, 0-1) tried to even the score, but when Cedrick Hughey penetrated into the lane and collided with Barnes, he was whistled for traveling with 52.9 seconds left - a call that drew vehement protests from the WSU bench.

The Bruins then ran down the clock and Kapono scored near the basket, drawing the fifth foul on Bush and completing the three-point play for a 76-71 lead with 26.4 seconds to play.

But WSU drew within 76-74 when Jerry McNair, coming off a screen, hit an open 3-pointer with 19.1 seconds left. Barnes, unable to inbound the ball, called timeout. When the Bruins again were struggling to get the ball inbounds, Barnes motioned for a timeout. But instead of giving him one, official Scott Grimm whistled Justin Lyman for holding Knight.

The first free throw by Knight, who scored 16 points, barely hit the front rim but trickled in. He made the second to put UCLA ahead by four, sealing the victory.

``I told them the challenge was that you can't exhale and lose focus,'' UCLA coach Steve Lavin said. ``They won in a place (Seattle) they haven't won in five years and they're thinking about getting home for Christmas. You have to know how to generate intensity and execute.''

Of course, it's a lot easier to focus if you wipe the sleep from your eyes.

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Photo:

Kevin German/Associated Press

UCLA's Billy Knight (3) drives past Washington State's Jerry McNair in the second half of the Bruins' 79-74 victory on Saturday.