DOLLAR WORTH WEIGHT IN GOLD.

Byline: ERIC SONDHEIMER

It's a frantic, breathless, desperate dash for the basket. It can't be simulated in practice; it won't be found in a Sega game.

It's Cameron Dollar's little contribution to March Madness. Like Tyus Edney before him, the UCLA senior is basketball's newest version of an unstoppable point guard. Just when an opposing team thinks victory is near, Dollar dribbles the length of the court at warp speed to score on an improbable game-winning shot.

Twice this month, with 0.9 seconds against Washington State and 1.9 seconds Thursday against Iowa State, Dollar has reversed defeat and delivered victory to the Bruins.

``He's proven to me it's not luck,'' Bruins teammate Toby Bailey said. ``He's done it too many times. That's his famous play. All summer he does it and we get mad because nobody can stop it.''

There are lots of reasons for UCLA (24-7) winning 12 straight games to reach today's Midwest Regional championship game against Minnesota (30-3). But none is more important than the rise of Dollar as the critical link to the Bruins' success.

Exactly three months ago, Dollar was benched against St. Louis. The Bruins were 3-3 and struggling badly as they tried to adjust to their new coach, Steve Lavin. At one point in December, Dollar went four straight games without scoring a basket.

Fast forward to the Alamodome on Thursday night. There was Dollar sinking back-to-back 3-pointers in the second half when UCLA fell behind by 16 points. There was Dollar scoring back-to-back baskets in the final 1:33 of regulation. There was Dollar finishing with a career-high 20 points.

``Cameron is such a strong kid in terms of mental conditioning,'' Lavin said. ``He has the ability to play through difficult situations. He has great character. That's not something you'll see in a box score, but you'll see him emerge in big games because he's so tough.''

Dollar is so unselfish and adheres so completely to the point guard mentality of thinking to pass the ball first rather than shoot that his offensive development might have been hindered.

``I realized if I want (my teammates) to score even more, I need to take pressure off them by becoming more aggressive offensively,'' he said.

Said Bailey: ``He's never been put into a spot where we needed him to put the ball up. If you take one or two shots a game and don't make them, your confidence isn't going to rise. We told him early in the season we needed him to shoot and his confidence has risen.''

Dollar said he didn't think of Edney's maddening dash against Missouri two years ago when Edney went coast to coast in 4.8 seconds.

``I still can't carry his jock,'' he said humbly, ``but if you want to mention my name with him, I'm happy.''

Edney never took Dollar aside and told him what to do or how to do it. But Dollar watched, listened and learned about the attitude needed to make special plays.

``People consider it a lot of guts to take that shot,'' Dollar said. ``It's hard for them to succeed if they never want to try. I think that's the one thing I got from Tyus. If he fails, yes it hurts. But he was going to try. There are only a few people in the world who really aren't scared to fail.''

Dollar is one who isn't afraid to try. Growing up in Atlanta, he remembers trying the violin as a second-grader. When he'd board the school bus, kids would tease him. ``I was getting ragged on,'' he said.

It didn't prevent him from trying. It's the same with the leadership skills he brings to the court. Whether he's putting his arm around a teammate to offer encouragement or diving on the court for a loose ball, he's sending a powerful message. Teammates trust him; his coach believes in him.

``I don't see being a leader as a burden,'' Dollar said. ``I'm never trying to lead anyone. I try to be a friend.''

Dollar is the best friend UCLA players and fans have going for them this weekend.

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Photo: (color) Twice this month, UCLA's Cameron Dollar has delivered in the final seconds.

Associated Press