There’s Little Margin for Error

Surging UCLA has a chance to reach the critical 18-win plateau, virtually guaranteeing an NCAA tournament berth, and move into a fourth-place tie in the Pacific 10 Conference tonight when last-place Washington State visits Pauley Pavilion.

The Bruins also can match their longest winning streak, five, in a year. The overriding number, though, is 18, the win total they have felt for weeks would be worthy of a spot in the field of 64 that will be announced Sunday.

Upsetting Stanford last weekend might be worth a reduction to 17, but at least splitting in the final week of the regular season should all but clinch an invitation. Finishing with 17 victories could create uncertainty, especially because it would mean having been swept at home by the 10th- and eighth-place teams in the conference to close the regular season.

“I wouldn’t want to risk that,” Coach Steve Lavin said.

UCLA can earn a tie for fourth place tonight if it beats the Cougars and Arizona State losses at home to California.

TONIGHT

vs. Washington State,

7:30

* Site--Pauley Pavilion.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Bruins 17-11, 8-8; Cougars 6-20, 1-15.

* Update--Just when Washington State thought things couldn’t get worse, guard Jan-Michael Thomas suffered a season-ending knee injury about two weeks ago. A walk-on, Cedric Clark, took his spot in the starting lineup. The Cougars will finish in last place in the conference and need a sweep this week in Los Angeles and an Oregon State loss Saturday at Oregon to get within two games of ninth.

*Tickets--(310) UCLA-WIN.