This May Be Why They’re Sleepless

Uh-oh. Seattle again.

The UCLA Bruins return to the Emerald City to open Pacific 10 Conference play tonight against Washington, hoping for a win, wondering what else can happen to them here, and knowing it’s bound to be something.

“Hopefully, it will be an uneventful 2000,” Coach Steve Lavin said. “That’s our resolution. If it’s possible.”

Not likely.

In 1998, the Bruins overcame a 16-point halftime deficit and took a late one-point lead over the Huskies. But Todd MacCulloch, fouled by UCLA’s J.R. Henderson before the Huskies put the ball in play, made two free throws with two seconds remaining to ruin the comeback, 95-94. It also ruined a career game for Toby Bailey, who made 13 of 17 shots and had 32 points, all after intermission, to tie the school record of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) for biggest output in a half.

In 1999, the Bruins came in ranked 11th and lost by 10 points as Baron Davis fouled out, threw his mouthpiece and was assessed a technical. That sparked Lavin, who had to be restrained from getting at a referee and was ejected with two technicals.

“It’s always something dramatic when we play at Washington,” said guard Earl Watson, who was there for both games. “We’re coming into this game with a lot of emotion.”

TONIGHT

at Washington, 7

* Site--KeyArena, Seattle.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Bruins 8-2, Huskies 5-7.

* Record vs. Huskies (1998-99)--1-1.

* Update--This is UCLA’s first true road game. It has played away from Pauley Pavilion three times, but all were neutral-site games in Hawaii for the Pearl Harbor Classic. Washington is playing this season at KeyArena, home to the SuperSonics, while on-campus Hec Edmundson Pavilion undergoes a renovation. Neither Bruin game is on TV this weekend.