UCLA NOTEBOOK: CRISPIN: HE'S A BRUIN-IN-WAITING SHARPSHOOTING GUARD WILL BRING EASTERN `SWAGGER' TO WEST COAST.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

PHILADELPHIA - All things considered, Jon Crispin would rather be playing for UCLA today against Villanova.

Instead, he'll be 45 minutes away, at his home in Pitman, N.J., where Pitman High will be retiring the jerseys of John and his brother, Joe, now with the Phoenix Suns, in a ceremony before its game tonight.

Crispin, a junior who is sitting out this season at UCLA after transferring from Penn State, is trying to make the best of working on the scout team, seeing if he can push the starters.

Crispin figures to breathe life into the Bruins next year, both with his personality and his game.

While practices are closed this season, it's clear from watching him fire away before practice that Crispin, a barrel-chested 6-foot-1, 190 pounder, can hit shots with any Bruin, even Jason Kapono.

``He's a classic East Coast city kid with a confident swagger,'' UCLA coach Steve Lavin said. ``He exerts a lot of emotion.''

He's often sinking long, step-back 3-pointers that look like something for a game of HORSE. Yet, as Crispin was with his brother at Penn State, which last year beat Illinois, Kentucky and North Carolina and also advanced to the Sweet 16, he doesn't figure to be bashful.

``My brother and I take some crazy shots,'' he said. ``We're the only ones who know it's going in. Last year I'd shoot and while the ball was in the air, I'd see a sub running to check in. If it went in, I'd hear 'Great shot,' and I'd see him running back to the bench. I'm used to it and that's how it should be. If you're making them you should be in there, if you're not somebody else should.''

--Heated words: The players and fans aren't the only ones who get fired up over the UCLA-USC rivalry. A pair of assistant coaches in their first year at the school, Gerald Madkins of UCLA and Kurtis Townsend of USC, exchanged words at the scorer's table after Thursday night's game.

UCLA sports-information director Marc Dellins stepped between the two, restraining Madkins, before the confrontation went any further.

While UCLA players and staff ran off the court after Billy Knight's last-second shot gave the Bruins a 67-65 victory, Madkins stayed behind when he noticed that the officials, at the urging of the USC coaches, were at the scorer's table reviewing a tape of the final basket to make sure Knight's shot left his hand before the clock hit zero.

Townsend shrugged off the incident, as did Madkins.

``Both ways, it's not big deal,'' Madkins said. ``It's water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned.''

--Philadelphia story II: The Bruins hope their return to Philadelphia will show them a little more love than when they visited here last March. The Bruins not only lost to Duke in the East Regional semifinal, they went home knowing the Trojans would stick around for the regional final.

UCLA is staying at the same hotel and Shane Battier is in town, but little else about the trip is the same.

With the NBA All-Star game booking First Union Center, today's game against Villanova was moved to the Wildcats' on-campus arena rather than the site of last year's regional. And there's no sign of the rest of the Blue Devils in sight.

--Show must go on: The Bruins have no plans to partake in any of the NBA festivities. In fact, they're booked on a flight home Saturday night, leaving a couple of hours before the slam-dunk and 3-point-shooting contests begin. Former UCLA guard Baron Davis, chosen for his first NBA All- Star Game, plans to watch the Bruins and Villanova today.