Love looks for more looks as well as ways to improve

Kevin Love backtracked a little from his contention that he should have gotten more than eight shots in UCLA’s 71-61 loss to Washington on Sunday.

Love, the Bruins’ 6-foot-10 freshman center who leads UCLA in scoring and rebounding, found out thinking he was open wasn’t the same as being open.

“I don’t have eyes on the back of my head,” Love said. “I can’t see the defender behind me sometimes.”

Love is discovering the second time around in Pacific 10 Conference play can be rough.

As sixth-ranked UCLA (21-3, 9-2) prepares for its second meeting against USC (15-8, 6-5) on Sunday, Love was considering how his string of six straight double-doubles was ended with his 16 points and nine rebounds against Washington State and how UCLA’s five-game winning streak was ended at Washington. Love was held below his 17.5 per game scoring average and 11.0 rebound average twice in the trip.

“I’m starting to get double-teamed 15 to 17 feet from the basket,” Love said. “I’ve still got to get touches as much as I can from out there. Then I’ve got to find open teammates and we have to start picking them apart up top.

“Guys have to start getting open jump shots and knocking them down.”

Point guard Darren Collison said all the Bruins are aware of Love’s offensive abilities.

“He needs shots,” Collison said, “he’s going to get shots. But there’s nothing to do when two guys are on him. He’s a great player; a lot of teams know that. I told Kevin he’s not the only player to have attention on himself. The solution is a team game. . . . Everybody has to be on the same page.”

The Bruins were one for 16 from three-point range against Washington, an indication that shooters at least felt open.

Josh Shipp, who was nine for 18 overall but 0 for 5 from long distance, said most of his shots were well considered. “Maybe I forced a couple,” Shipp said, “but I don’t think I forced that many.”

Coach Ben Howland said he wasn’t worried about Love only getting 16 shots in the last two games. “I want a little better balance,” Howland said. “I think we have to have better balance than in our last game when one player [Shipp] took 18 shots and one [Russell Westbrook] 16.”

It is also a matter, Howland said, of opposing coaches learning from experience.

“I think teams are scheming to keep the ball out of Kevin’s hands as much as possible,” Howland said. “Other guys on his team have to step up when open and take advantage of those opportunities.”

Instead of an on-floor practice Tuesday, Howland opted to have a film session.

“I think I’d rather practice,” said Westbrook, who was five for 16 from the field against Washington.

Collison, who said he played his worst game of the season with his eight turnovers and three points against the Huskies, said he didn’t need to watch film to know one thing.

“I didn’t play my best,” Collison said. “It was a rough game and I’m angry. My teammates are angry. It won’t happen again.”

Howland said forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who missed both games last week with a sprained ankle, was able to do some shooting Monday.

“No cutting, he was stationary, in one spot,” Howland said. “Obviously he’s got to try and do some more conditioning.”

diane.pucin@latimes.com