PREVIEW: MCSTRUGGLES AT MCKALE UCLA, AND OTHERS, HAVE HAD NO LUCK IN TUCSON.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

TUCSON, Ariz. - Jason Kapono apologized earlier this week when he was asked about his most memorable McKale moment.

``Sorry,'' the UCLA forward said. ``That's before my time. I know he played with Bird and Parrish, and he's the guy who cheated with Joe Smith.''

If Kapono had Kevin McHale, the general manager of the Timberwolves and former Celtics star, on his brain rather than McKale Center, forgive him. Kapono, like the rest of the Bruins, would just as soon forget the place.

The home to the Arizona basketball team has been downright inhospitable. The Wildcats, who earlier in coach Lute Olson's tenure won 81 in a row at McKale, entered this season with a 71-4 record at home in the past five seasons.

While the Bruins have won more games at McKale than anyone else in Olson's 19 seasons, they've lost their past four - and none of them have been close. UCLA has been whipped by 12, 17, 15 and 25 last season.

No current UCLA player, not even fifth-year seniors Billy Knight and Rico Hines, ever has won there. If the sea of roaring, red-clad fans hasn't got them, the team on the court has.

``They've always had better teams than us in the past,'' Knight said. ``And then when we get down, we kind of hang our head.''

The McKale Mystique has taken a hit recently as Arizona lost at home to Kansas and Oregon, squeaked past Valparaiso by four points and had to rally from 19 points down in the second half to beat Oregon State.

Then again, the Wildcats might have just been hurting because Luke Walton was.

The junior forward, who missed the Oregon, Oregon State and Valpo games with a strained Achilles tendon, was on the court Thursday and had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Arizona's 17-point thrashing of USC.

The UCLA bus barely had pulled out of Tempe on Thursday night for the 100-mile drive to Tucson when the topic turned toward today's game. The history lessons also were discussed over breakfast Friday.

The Bruins are well aware that while they themselves haven't won in Tucson, the last four times that UCLA did - in 1987, '92, '95 and '97 - it went on to win the Pacific-10 Conference championship. The last three of those teams advanced to at least a regional final.

``The seniors want to win this badly,'' freshman Cedric Bozeman said.

If the Bruins are to win, they'll need a more composed effort from their four freshmen - Andre Patterson, Ryan Walcott, Dijon Thompson and Bozeman.

The Bruins have played just four road games and they've received little contribution from the four freshmen, who have combined to average 5.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.8 turnovers per game.

Bozeman, who has yet to score a point in two road games, missed two free throws that would have sealed Thursday's win over Arizona State.

``It seemed like the crowd rattled Ced,'' Knight said. ``Arizona's going to be louder. He just has to be patient, but he'll still probably be nervous.''

Of the freshmen, only Walcott has experienced what it's like to walk into McKale in front of a sellout crowd that looks more like a sea of red. But he did it sitting in the stands to watch his cousin, Bibby, who led the Wildcats to the national title in 1997.

``It's crazy,'' Walcott said. ``After every basket, you hear that big-ass growl (over the PA system).''

Bozeman, who has watched games at McKale on television over the years and has heard the stories this week, concedes that the crowd will be hostile. But he says he'll be fine.

TODAY UCLA at ARIZONA 11 a.m. TV/Radio: Ch.2/1150-AM UCLA vs. ARIZONA

Tipoff: 11 a.m., McKale Court.

TV/Radio: Channel 2; 1150-AM.

UCLA (13-3, 5-1) update: After committing 18 turnovers, at least one from every player, against ASU, the Bruins are anticipating lots of pressure from Arizona. Dan Gadzuric, who had a career-high 17 rebounds and 22 points against the Wildcats last season at Pauley Pavilion, is shooting 61 percent against them in his career. Billy Knight is averaging 22.5 points in the last four games. Guard Rico Hines will miss his second game in a row with a concussion. He worked out Friday, but after 5 minutes did not feel well.

Arizona (12-4, 5-2) update: The return of Luke Walton (Achilles tendon) again has the Wildcats looking like a Pac-10 contender. He registered a triple-double with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists in the rout of USC. Arizona can't afford another awful game from Jason Gardner, who was 1 for 19 against the Bruins last season. Two keys for the Wildcats will be whether freshman center Channing Frye can hold his own against Dan Gadzuric and whether the Wildcats hit their 3-pointers.

- Billy Witz

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UCLA vs. ARIZONA (see text)