AREA BARS HOT FOR HOOPS USC, UCLA FANS CRAM INTO LOCAL HANGOUTS TO ROOT ON BELOVED TEAMS.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer

UCLA student David Amid has an orthodontics final at 8 a.m. this morning. But there was no way he was going to miss the Bruins' NCAA Tournament game against Duke on television Thursday night.

``Going to library isn't an option,'' Amid said a few minutes before tipoff, as he prepared to watch the Sweet 16 matchup in the bar at Acapulco Mexican restaurant in Westwood. ``I planned my whole day around this because I really wanted to see the game.''

Fans crowded Acapulco early, well in time to see the end of USC's victory over Kentucky in the same bracket. If UCLA could pull off an upset over the No. 1 Blue Devils, the Bruins would be paired against the Trojans in the Elite Eight.

But UCLA fell behind early, and rallied, but got no closer than three in the second half and eventually lost 76-63 in Philadelphia.

Nevertheless, the Bruins should know they had a bar full of supporters who for one night were more interested in the matchups on TV than the margaritas on the table.

``I go to all the home games. I wish I was there in Philadelphia right now,'' Amid said. ``This game means a lot to me.''

When UCLA fell behind, senior Zack Seal admitted a matchup against USC was ``starting to look a little bit farsighted.''

But Seal, a season-ticket holder who, like Amid - and the Bruins players, for that matter - is in the middle of final exams, wasn't about to give up his bar stool.

``It's exciting to be at this level because my brother went here in 1995 when (UCLA) won it all,'' Seal said. ``I'm still hoping for a repeat so I can party in the streets and all that stuff.''

Restaurant manager Juan Zermeno said whenever UCLA plays on television, the bar packs in. But it was really rocking Thursday.

``Actually, we've lost some business because we're so strict on IDs,'' Zermeno said. ``We had to turn about 20 people away.''

Meanwhile, at USC, almost 200 students and staff members crammed into Traditions, a tiny bar in the basement of the student union building.

The fans screamed and groaned with every turn in the game, and sprayed beer from the bar area and hung from the ceiling beams as the final Kentucky shot fell short in the Trojans' 80-76 victory.

``I'm so happy to be a Trojan right now,'' junior Sarah Adolphson said. ``I've never been as proud to be a student here than I am right now, and I've never had so much school pride.''

Adolphson's friend, junior Beth Plain, exclaimed, ``I can't believe we won,'' as she left the bar, but professed more confidence seconds later.

``Oh, I knew we had it all along,'' she said with a laugh. ``That was one of the most exciting things I've ever been a part of.''

The bar, which opened in 1986, had apparently met its posted capacity of 159 minutes before the 4:30 p.m. tipoff, but various staff members and VIPs pushed the total up about another couple dozen.

Patrons crammed into every corner of the bar, often craning necks and standing on chairs to get a look at one of the seven televisions stationed throughout the room.

``This is just monumental for the school and for these kids,'' said Bill Govea, who works on campus in nearby Stonier Hall. ``This is a football school, but I think basketball is going to start making some noise.''

There was plenty of noise in Traditions as the Trojans quickly built a double-digit lead, to the delight and surprise of the fans in the bar.

Shouts of joy turned to cries of desperation as Kentucky nearly erased a 21-point deficit, but the Trojans held on with some clutch free throws.

``Oh my god, I can't believe it,'' freshman Charles Reiter said. ``I was biting my nails and everything, but they came through.''

And for at least one night, USC fans were among the elite in college basketball.

``I've been following SC since birth, really,'' junior Brandon Smith said. ``My dad and grandfather both went here, and this is probably the high point in all my years of cheering for USC. The football team has been slacking lately, but the basketball team is getting it done.''

Staff writer Rich Hammond contributed.

CAPTION(S):

7 boxes

Box: (1) MIDWEST REGION

(2) SOUTH REGION

(3) Illinois-Kansas Matchup

(4) Arizona-Miss. Matchup

(5) Mich. St.-Gonzaga Matchup

(6) Penn. St.-Temple Matchup

(7) NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP