UCLA's Love looks to add to Bruins' lore

Where is the Love?

That's a question rarely asked these days at UCLA as freshman center Kevin Love can usually be found either starting a fast break with an outlet pass, or finishing a possession with one of his myriad old-school moves around the basket.

Tuesday, however, reporters covering the Bruins were wondering exactly that as Love didn't show up for a scheduled interview session. It was the only chance reporters had at him all week other than after games, as part of the school's attempt at decreasing his media responsibilities.

A few hours later, a conference call was arranged and Love explained he'd just overlooked it while dealing with a new class schedule, apologizing profusely.

It's the only thing the 6-foot-10, 271-pounder has had to apologize for so far, however. Love has lived up to the great expectations that greeted his arrival in Westwood this fall, some calling him the best big man to enroll at UCLA since Bill Walton.

"He's the best freshman I've ever had," Bruins coach Ben Howland said this week of Love, who is ninth in the Pac-10 in scoring at 16.5 and third in rebounding at 10.2.

The Washington Huskies will get their first look at Love tonight when they make their annual trip to Pauley Pavilion for a 7:30 p.m. game against the Bruins.

It's likely to be the only game they'll play against Love at Pauley. He is widely expected to head to the NBA after this season.

"Hopefully," said UW coach Lorenzo Romar with a laugh. "He's good enough to play in the NBA."

Some think he has been for a few years now.

Love is the son of former Oregon Ducks star Stan Love, who played four seasons in the NBA. His uncle, Mike Love, is the lead singer of the Beach Boys.

He was a three-time Oregon Player of the Year at Lake Oswego High, where Romar recalls seeing him as a sophomore.

"He was one of those players you look at and say, "I don't know what he could do to get any better,' " Romar said. "But he did get better. His feel for the game is unparalleled. He has a high basketball IQ."

Those are some of the same qualities Romar often ascribed to Brandon Roy, a comparison Romar didn't argue. "He is a lot like Brandon Roy, but he's a post player," Romar said.

Like everyone else, the Huskies put their hat in the ring for Love, but Romar said they didn't get very far. Love chose UCLA over North Carolina, lured in part by the chance to play where Walton did. For years, Love has watched tapes of old NBA games of Walton, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and others of that era.

"That's really what I looked at when I was young and what I've taken from my dad, an old-school approach," Love said.

Though this is his first game against Washington, some of the Huskies have played against him before, notably Jon Brockman, who faced him in a summer league game a few years ago.

"He's just a big dude with great fundamentals," Brockman said, citing the outlet pass that may be the aspect of Love's game most reminiscent to Walton's. "That just makes him really dangerous wherever he is at on the floor."

Brockman figures to match up with Love at times, though Artem Wallace might get the first call.

The Huskies could get some extra shots of Love on the offensive end tonight. He has issued some minor complaints about not getting the ball enough. Howland said he agrees, saying Love's scoring numbers are impressive considering he's "not getting enough touches."

Romar said Love will be the toughest big man for UW to guard since Ike Diogu played at Arizona State. At least when the Huskies faced Diogu they could concentrate on him without worrying about All-Americans elsewhere. That's not the case with the Bruins, whom Romar said might have at least four future NBA players — Love, point guard Darren Collison, shooting guard Josh Shipp and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

"This year I think they are the best team in the country," Romar said.

Not exactly what the doctor might have ordered for UW coming off a stinging home loss to Washington State on Saturday. The Huskies, who play at USC on Saturday, will need to get at least one win this weekend to avoid an 0-3 conference start for the second straight year.

And they haven't felt the love at Pauley often, having lost 20 of the past 21 here.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com