BRUINS RECALL OLD TIMES : STARTERS WATCH SUBS GET EASY WIN UCLA 93, JACKSON ST. 67.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

Coaches smiling, players laughing , walk-ons scoring and a 26-point victory? It was a strangely familiar sight at Pauley Pavilion Tuesday night, a dash of the feel-good past for a team sorely in need of some fun.

``This was the game we hoped to have,'' UCLA forward J.R. Henderson said after the Bruins' 93-67 victory over Jackson State, before 6,442 fans. ``We needed to build a lead and relax and cheer for the walk-ons. We didn't want to have to win this one by 10 or 12 points. There have been a lot of struggles already.''

Considering the circumstances - a tumultuous fall, losses to Tulsa and Kansas, an upcoming midwestern roadtrip and the Pacific-10 Conference season beyond - this was a near-perfect evening for the Bruins.

``That we pulled away in the second half was probably good for our confidence,'' coach Steve Lavin said.

The turning point was a 16-1 surge late in the first half that gave UCLA a double-digit lead and secured the victory. The Bruins also shot 71 percent from the field and controlled the rebounding (43-31) against the overmatched Tigers.

``Usually we don't put teams away, but tonight we did,'' Toby Bailey said. ``That shows we're maturing.''

Or it may show that Jackson State was woefully overmatched. Either way, Lavin had myriad reasons to be encouraged. Bailey's 18 points, five rebounds and five assists formed his most complete game of the season. Henderson and Charles O'Bannon combined for 39 points; each missed just one shot from the field. And center Jelani McCoy was a force under the basket, with 10 rebounds and four blocks.

``Everybody individually and as a team is coming on at just the right time,'' Bailey said, referring to the upcoming roadtrip to Illinois and St. Louis.

But the Bruins, 3-2, were quick to note their shortcomings, as well. And topping that list was a sluggish first half.

``We needed to put two good halves together, and we didn't get it in the first,'' Henderson said. ``If we had played like that against a good team, we'd have been down 20 points - like the Kansas game.''

If Jackson State seemed fatigued, blame the school's travel budget, or lack thereof. The Tigers flew to Phoenix late last week, then bussed to Tucson in time for a 28-point loss to Arizona.

Nothing special there - teams drive between the Arizona cities all the time. But at that point the Tigers' itinerary diverted from the norm: They took a bus from Tucson to Los Angeles, and today they are bussing to Phoenix for a Friday date at Arizona State.

The 1,000-mile roundtrip wasn't difficult for coach Andy Stoglin, who's a former Harlem Globetrotter, and the Tigers carried themselves quite well considering their Greyhound legs. They showed no fear of UCLA in the first half, fighting for every rebound despite a size disadvantage, using their quickness to track down loose balls and shooting with confidence, if not accuracy.

The Bruins scored in combinations early in the game, but the Tigers did not lose their poise until UCLA's tactical adjustment midway through the first half.

The Bruins were in a zone defense at the time, with 6-foot reserve guard Brandon Loyd serving as the point man in a 1-2-2 alignment. The Tigers recognized their opportunity at once, as 6-foot-3 guard Marino Walker scored seven straight points in Loyd's area of the court to give the Tigers a 26-24 lead.

Then Lavin replaced Loyd with tenacious defender Cameron Dollar, switched the Bruins into a man-to-man and ordered them to pressure the ball.

Jackson State tried to spread the court to create driving and passing lanes, but its execution faltered immediately. The Tigers committed four turnovers in seven possessions and did not make a field goal for almost six minutes.

``We got better pressure on the ball, we rebounded better, got some deflections and some loose balls,'' Lavin said.

The Bruins turned those turnovers into baskets. O'Bannon intercepted a pass and raced in for a breakaway dunk that was remarkably restrained - no double-pumping, rim-rattling, scream-inducing antics. It was a subtle yet symbolic nongesture.

``We're trying to emphasize (maturity),'' Lavin said. ``When you're sky-high one play and in the valley the next, that doesn't lend itself to consistent performances.''

After another turnover, Dollar found O'Bannon for a long alley-oop. Then Bailey drained a 3-pointer and McCoy hit a short leaner to end the game-altering surge and give the Bruins a 40-27 lead.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) UCLA's Toby Baily tries to get a clean look at the basket as Jackson State's Trent Pullman defends on the play.

(2) Bruins' Cameron Dollar and J.R. Henderson battle with the Tigers' Tyrone Moten for a rebound.

John McCoy / Daily News