BRUINS GET LITMUS TEST FROM NO. 1 KANSAS : DIRECTION OF PROGRAM COULD BE AT STAKE.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

The practice ended and all eyes turned to Saturday. To Kansas.

It might be the most important game UCLA plays during the regular season, with recruiting, program credibility and NCAA Tournament-seeding implications hanging on the Bruins' performance against the nation's No. 1 team.

But off in a corner of Pauley Pavilion after a two-hour practice Thursday afternoon, Bruins forward Kris Johnson preached selective ignorance.

``I'm not thinking NCAA Tournament, nonconference performance, strength of schedule, program stuff - none of that is an issue,'' he said. ``I'm just thinking about us playing the No. 1 team in the nation, and playing them five-on-five, just like we're in a park somewhere going at each other.

``A lot of teams have celebrated after beating us since we won the title, and it's time we took that attitude. We're going at them as the No. 1 team the way other teams have come at us.''

Johnson is correct in this respect: The outcome depends not on importance but execution, on which team runs the better half-court offense, controls the rebounding and stymies the other's fast break.

But when it's over, win or lose, the implications will descend on the UCLA program, and no degree of selective ignorance will protect the 17th-ranked Bruins. For it is Kansas - not Louisville or Duke, Arizona or Stanford - that is the single most important game on their schedule.

Let's count the ways:

NCAA Tournament positioning. Only a major collapse will jeopardize the Bruins' postseason participation. But as they've discovered, nonconference games against ranked opponents impact NCAA seeding and placement.

UCLA was shipped to Indianapolis last spring because of the absence of quality nonconference wins, even though the Bruins won the Pac-10 title handily. Saturday's game gives them a chance to impress the selection committee members, who'll no doubt be watching on national television.

``It's definitely the most important of the early games,'' guard Toby Bailey said. ``When we play in the Pac-10, we could go undefeated and it won't matter, as we know from last year. Looking down the line, if we win, it'll look good for the tournament.''

Rookie credibility. He has been on the job for exactly a month and has one career victory. What better opportunity for Bruins coach Steve Lavin to establish credibility - with his administration, his players and his recruits - than by defeating one of the game's recognized masters, Kansas coach Roy Williams?

Mirror, mirror. UCLA's 85-70 loss to the Jayhawks last year in Lawrence was a microcosm of the inconsistent season to come: The Bruins were brilliant in one half, overwhelmed in the other, and generally immature.

Whatever the outcome this time, it again might be a clue to the months that follow.

``From the players' standpoint, this atmosphere is why you come to UCLA,'' Lavin said. ``But from a coaching standpoint, it's like a report card for us. It'll give us a true test of where we are nationally.''

Recruiting wars. In recent years, the Jayhawks have recruited California with uncanny success: Four of their best players - injured guard Jacque Vaughn, guard Jerod Haase, center Scot Pollard and forward Paul Pierce - are natives of the Golden State.

This is one of UCLA's biggest recruiting weekends, with some of the area's best sophomores and juniors expected to attend the game. Kansas, of course, is recruiting many of those same players. One game does not a letter of intent make. But it helps.

One recruit in particular will be watching: guard Baron Davis of Crossroads School in Santa Monica. He is considering both schools.

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Photo: (color) Against No. 1 Kansas, Bruins coach Steve Lavin gets a chance to impress his bosses.

Associated Press