UCLA BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: A&M GOES BEEFY.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Texas A&M's Joseph Jones goes 6-foot-9, 250 pounds. His front court mate, Antanas Kavaliauskas, has the same measurements.

Both are shooting better than 63 percent from the field, average a combined 27.6 points a game and have helped the Aggies to a No. 6 national ranking heading into today's game with No. 1 UCLA in the Wooden Classic at the Honda Center.

``They're probably the most physical inside presence that we've seen in the last twoyears,'' Bruins coach Ben Howland said. ``There's no one we played a year ago that has the kind of bruisers they have inside. A.K. and Joseph Jones, these kids are really strong and athletic and they really post up well. It's going to be a real challenge for our big guys inside.''

The Bruins will counter mostly with 6-9, 240-pound center Lorenzo Mata and 6-8, 230-pound power forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who may have to rely more on speed and quickness.

``(The Aggies) remind me of a Stanford-type team that has two big guys that just pound on you and beat you up and out-physical you,'' Howland said. ``It's not a lot of fun, trust me. It's not a lot of fun thinking about our poor little inside guys going against these big brutes. They are physical.''

What were they thinking?: The Aggies lost at No.9 LSU 64-52 earlier in the week, and now are playing the No. 1 team on what amounts to UCLA's home court. Both were in the Final Four last season.

``It may not benefit us at all, but we'll find out in time,'' Aggies coach Billy Gillispie said. ``We're an upstart program. I think we've got things going in the right direction. We have a long ways to go. I think it's a great measuring stick for us, if we want to continue to try and to build our program.

``I don't think it's the smartest thing you can do in schedule, but I think we're all competitive by nature and kind of want to see where we stack up.''

Texas A&M has not defeated a non-conference ranked opponent since the 1978-79 season, and it is the first time in school history Texas A&M will play back-to-back games and top-10 teams.

Dragovic doings: After today, Bruins freshman wing Nikola Dragovic will have to sit out two more games to serve his 10-game NCAA suspension before becoming eligible Dec. 23 against Michigan.

But after Michigan, Pacific-10 play begins for the Bruins, so it could be difficult for Dragovic, who is allowed to practice, to find minutes.

``I'm glad he's going to be eligible so we have another guy who can play,'' Howland said. ``But that's the least of my worries right now. I'm not even thinking about it.''