BRUINS ARE THINKING FAST : UCLA 100 WASHINGTON ST. 61.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

Subtract size, add speed. Eliminate a cumbersome frontcourt presence, improve ball movement. Lose the starting center for the rest of the season . . . become a better team?

For one night, at least, the Bruins showed no effects of center Dan Gadzuric's season-ending knee injury, racing past Washington State 100-61 on Thursday at Pauley Pavilion amid a torrent of pressure and speed that produced their most dominating game of the season.

Of course, their performance Saturday against Washington 7-footer Todd MacCulloch should provide a better gauge of their post-Gadzuric fate. The Cougars simply did not have the athletes or manpower to challenge UCLA.

The Bruins (20-7, 10-5) used their 20th different starting lineup of the season, with walk-on Sean Farnham holding the power forward spot for the third consecutive game and 6-foot-8 freshman forward Matt Barnes replacing Gadzuric.

What the Bruins lost in size, they gained in speed and ball movement. Barnes and Farnham eagerly distributed the ball to teammates on the fast break and in the halfcourt offense, where UCLA looked as cohesive and fluid as it has in weeks. Barnes finished with 10 points.

The Bruins' unrelenting pressure defense forced 19 Washington State turnovers in the first half, as they charged to a 17-2 lead and held a 50-27 advantage at halftime.

The victory improved UCLA's record against Washington State to 34-0 in Pauley Pavilion.

The Cougars (10-17, 4-12) began the week in last place, although with a deceiving twist. They have been stingy at home, beating Washington and taking Arizona, Stanford and UCLA to the wire. Outside the Palouse, however, their weaknesses are exposed. They are neither big nor athletic, with a slew of jump shooters but few one-on-one specialists.

However, Washington State's structured offense has given the Bruins trouble in the past by forcing them to play defense for long stretches. A month ago in Pullman, the Cougars waited for UCLA breakdowns and made 7 of 14 shots from 3-point range.

``Similar to Oregon, their record is not indicative of the quality of play they've had,'' Bruins coach Steve Lavin said. ``(Coach) Kevin Eastman has kept their spirits up. Even though they've been losing games, they're still competing hard.

``They're very dangerous. They're well-coached. They can break you down off the dribble. They're patient, and they go deep into the shot clock. They do a great job executing their offense.''

Until Thursday night.

Actually, the Cougars didn't have many chances to strut their half-court stuff. UCLA's full-court pressure often overwhelmed them before they crossed midcourt.

Whatever lethargy invaded the Bruins earlier in the month apparently has been wiped from their system. Against both Syracuse and Washington State, they had their legs and stamina, and the resulting pressure discombobulated both teams. At times, the Cougars seemed paralyzed by UCLA's speed and aggression. The turnovers simply accelerated the tempo and gave UCLA fast break (and highlight film) opportunities.

The Bruins' first basket - Earl Watson to Farnham for a layup - established the tempo. When Watson buried a 3-pointer two possessions later, the Bruins had a 7-0 lead and Washington State called a 20-second timeout to temper the tempo.

The respite did little good. After Kojo Mensah-Bonsu's dunk, the Bruins dashed away for 10 consecutive points that included Barnes' deft pass to Watson for a hanging lay-up. A few seconds later, Barnes intercepted a pass and found Baron Davis, who dished to JaRon Rush for a gimmie that gave the Bruins a 17-2 lead.

Washington State pulled as ``close'' as 12 points, trailing 24-12 midway through the half, but the Bruins quickly put the game out of reach. Barnes drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key, then scored on a lay-up for a 33-14 lead.

The final sequence of the half typified Washington State's performance. With 1.6 seconds left, the Cougars committed a dead-ball foul by holding Davis at midcourt, and he made two free throws. No time expired when the Cougars made an errant inbound pass, and Barnes found Rush for a lay-up as the buzzer sounded - giving UCLA four points in the final 1.6 seconds.

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Photo: (Color) JaRon Rush (4) pulls down a rebound during UCLA's 100-61 victory over Washington State.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News