IT'S ALL WORKING OUT FOR UCLA'S MATA CENTER EARNS TEAMMATES' RESPECT WITH GRITTY PLAY.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN Staff Writer

The foul shots have a better chance of smashing the backboard than going through the rim, and every time UCLA center Lorenzo Mata manages to squeeze the basketball into the hoop from the foul line, the home crowd goes crazy.

As a 31.3 percent free-throw shooter, Mata's ineptitude at the line is now as much his trademark as his headband.

However, the growth he's shown in his game -- the ability to defend and block a shot or two, or dive on the floor for a loose ball, or even make a nifty low-post move -- better describes the essence of Mata.

He did not play basketball until he was in sixth grade, and even then he said his shooting motion was more chest pass than jumpshot.

He did not know about scholarships until he was at South Gate High, after he had an abominable freshman academic year and nearly placed himself out of consideration for a four-year school. So he took night classes and attended summer school to get into UCLA.

It is that work ethic that endears Mata to his hard-nosed coach, Ben Howland, who smiles when talking about how Mata takes a charge better than any other player on the third-ranked Bruins, who play host to Arizona today at Pauley Pavilion.

``I've always been a hard worker, no matter what,'' Mata said. ``If I have to improve on something, I'm going to work hard to improve. I'm never going to quit. I'm always up for any challenge. All I have to do is give hard work.''

It is a behavior Mata learned during his childhood. His mother, Reyna Real, who works as an embroiderer, made sure of it.

``In high school, every vacation I had, my mom would send me to Mexico,'' Mata said. ``It was like a ranch. I would help out, they had this little mountain, and I would just walk up it for fun, or we would race up it. I would help out with anything, chopping wood or whatever.''

Mata, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound junior, is averaging a modest 6.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. But that is up significantly from the 3.6 points and 3.9 rebounds he averaged last season.

When he arrived, he was the least-heralded member of Howland's first stellar recruiting class, but also aplayer the All-Americans respected because of his work ethic.

``He's been very consistent in the weight room, and put on a lot of weight and a lot of muscle,'' said Bruins junior wing Arron Afflalo, a high school All-American. ``It's just all upstairs. If he gets upstairs, with that body and his athleticism, he's got a lot of natural gifts. Once those twothings connect, the mental and physical part, it's going to be a positive thing.''

Certainly, Mata is not filled with grace, but instead brings grit.

In his first two seasons at UCLA he cracked his sternum, broke his nose twice, fractured his tibia and sprained his ankles. During the lastoffseason he underwent two knee surgeries.

``His biggest thing is he's just become a lot tougher,'' Howland said. ``I'm excited for Lorenzo. He's a good player, and part of it is his confidence. I always thought he was a good rebounder.''

Between the injuries, Mata's found time to refine his game.

The right-handed Mata added a subtle, lefty baby hook to his game, although with UCLA's outside first offense and Mata's reluctance to call for the ball inside, he uses it sparingly.

Mata also is learning how to be a successful shot blocker, which Arizona State's Derek Glasser witnessed Thursday. Glasser thought he was open for a six-foot leaner, but Mata sprinted in and rejected the shot with his left hand.

Mata has a team-leading 19 blocks.

``I need to work on my offensive game,'' Mata said. ``I feel like I could be doing better. I always think about if I started playing when I was (younger), and then what I would be like. But I'm here now.''

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CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) UCLA's Lorenzo Mata dunks against Arizona State on Thursday at Pauley Pavilion. Mata is averaging 6.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, up from 3.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game last season.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

(2) Lorenzo Mata's work ethic has won him respect of his UCLA teammates.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

(3) no caption (Lorenzo Mata)

Box:

(1) NO. 3 UCLA vs. NO. 11 ARIZONA

- Brian Dohn

(2) BY THE NUMBERS