UCLA NOTEBOOK: BAILEY ACQUIRES IDENTITY.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

The substitution patterns at UCLA can be a curious thing.

One day Matt Barnes is in the starting lineup, the next he disappears to the end of the bench, as was the case against Georgia Tech. Jason Flowers goes from a minute-a-game guy to a starter in the snap of a few fingers.

And just like that, Billy Knight goes from the star of the Washington State game to the last guy off the bench against USC.

So, ask Ryan Bailey if he thought he'd be playing more this season and he says he's been around long enough to know better.

``I've been through all the ups and downs before,'' said Bailey, a fifth- year senior. ``You never know when you're going to play, so you have to keep practicing hard and not let it affect your preparation.''

Bailey, who was averaging 8.8 minutes per game (nearly half his career average), came off the bench to play a season-high 28 minutes in Thursday night's 80-75 victory over USC.

Bailey, who logged a season-high seven points and three assists, has played more minutes just once in his three years at UCLA. He committed just two turnovers and provided the Bruins with a heady presence, delivering several excellent passes and making good decisions with the ball.

Bailey, who turned 23 last summer, says his maturity helps him perform with confidence despite the limited minutes. It's a trait UCLA assistant coach Michael Holton also noticed in Bailey.

Holton, then an assistant at the University of Portland, signed Bailey when he graduated from Loyola High in 1995. But Bailey instead attended Hargrave Military Academy, a Virginia prep school, and landed a scholarship at Penn State. He started 24 games and set a school freshman assist record and averaged 34 minutes per game.

Bailey wanted to be closer to home, so he transferred to UCLA, where his brother Toby was a senior.

``Even when he's not playing, he's in our thoughts and plans,'' Holton said of the aptly nicknamed 6-foot-3, 195-pound Moose. ``He's capable of making big plays in big games.

``Moose has come a long way. He was recruited at the mid-major level coming out of high school and he's continued to upgrade. He's continued to develop and create his own space. When he came here, he was Toby's brother, but he's matured as a player and a person.''

--Young restless: It's hard to tell what got under UCLA coach Steve Lavin's skin more: Pete Dalis' conversations with Rick Pitino or Ray Young's shot at the end of the half.

The Bruins had the last possession of the half with 30 seconds left and Lavin called for his team to hold the ball for the last shot. Young, unable to pass up an open 3-pointer, fired and missed with 20 seconds left.

Lavin threw his clipboard down, shouted an expletive and yelled at Young when he came off the court for a timeout, holding up his index finger in Young's face.

``The emotions were going, it was that kind of game,'' Barnes said. ``(Lavin)'s not a person to get up in your face and scream. He gives you the opportunity to play with a lot of freedom. Ray knew not to take that shot. It's no big deal.''