UCLA basketball: Reeves Nelson reinstated, will play against Chaminade

UCLA Coach Ben Howland reinstated Reeves Nelson on Wednesday, welcoming the volatile junior forward back to the team after a one-game suspension for behavior issues.

Nelson is scheduled to resume practicing with the team Thursday and will travel to Hawaii and play in the Maui Invitational, which starts for the Bruins (0-2) on Monday with a game against Chaminade (3-0).

"Reeves understands that his reinstatement is contingent on his ability to continually meet the high standards we have established for all UCLA men's basketball players," Howland said in a statement. "He expressed to me in our meeting earlier [Wednesday] that he desires to be a better person and better teammate going forward and, given that, I feel as though I should give him that opportunity."

Nelson said in a statement that he acknowledged there were "corrections that need to be made and I'm grateful to Coach Howland and to have this opportunity to improve and work on being a positive force for our team."

Nelson had 13 points and eight rebounds in UCLA's season-opening loss to Loyola Marymount, during which he tuned out coaches during timeout huddles and sulked on the court when things went poorly for the Bruins.

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--Ben Bolch

Photo: UCLA Coach Ben Howland, left, speaks with forward Reeves Nelson during an exhibition game on Nov. 6. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

UCLA basketball: Reeves Nelson suspended indefinitely over behavior

UCLA Coach Ben Howland announced late Monday that he had suspended junior forward Reeves Nelson indefinitely for unspecified behavior issues.

Nelson, the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder from last season, will not be with the team Tuesday when it plays Middle Tennessee State at the Sports Arena.

"This is a very disappointing situation for Reeves and for our basketball program," Howland said in a statement. "We have a high standard and code of conduct that our student-athletes are expected to adhere to and Reeves has fallen short of our expectations."

Nelson's status will be reevaluated after he meets with Howland this week, according to the statement. Nelson had 13 points and eight rebounds in UCLA's season-opening 69-58 loss to Loyola Marymount on Friday.

We'll have more later at www.latimes.com/sports.

--Ben Bolch

UCLA basketball: Recruit Kyle Anderson stands by Bruins

(Over)reaction was predictably swift after No. 17 UCLA's ugly opening loss to Loyola Marymount on Friday at the Sports Arena.

Fans started a "Potential Ben Howland Replacements Thread" on a message board, alluding to their momentary desire to replace the coach who had just presided over the Bruins' first loss to the Lions since 1941.

Sophomore center Joshua Smith logged on to Twitter to vent his frustration, writing, "Just lost to some straight bums lol."

That left UCLA recruit Kyle Anderson as the voice of reason Saturday. The 6-foot-8 senior standout from Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony High who attended the Bruins' 69-58 defeat was standing by his future teammates.

"It was a surprise, but it was a tough loss," Anderson said. "Everyone goes through them. I'm sure UCLA will bounce right back."

What did Anderson see as the difference in UCLA's first loss as the home team at the Sports Arena since an 88-79 defeat to Utah on Dec. 29, 1961?

"LMU played their best game and it just so happened that UCLA didn't play their best game," Anderson said. "LMU made a lot of tough shots, a lot of long shots and a lot of layups. We just missed a couple of layups, nothing really major."

Anderson, who signed a letter of intent with UCLA earlier this week, said the defeat that is sure to knock the Bruins out of the national rankings did not change his perception of the team or the program.

"No," Anderson said. "Not at all."

Of course, UCLA clearly has issues to address before heading to Hawaii next week for the Maui Invitational. Heck, the Bruins have things to sort out before thinking they can even beat Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday.

They must stay in front of their man on defense and close out better on the perimeter. On offense, they must find a way to more effectively utilize Smith and forward Reeves Nelson while resisting the urge to shoot too many three-pointers like they did Friday, when they made only two of 15 attempts from beyond the arc.

Anderson said he hung out with the Bruins in the dorms after the game.

"They were upset," Anderson said. "They understood it's a tough loss. They just have to come together as a team."

--Ben Bolch

Photo: UCLA center Joshua Smith is blocked out by Loyola Marymount guard Jarred DuBois (4) and forward Godwin Okonji (22) during a rebound Friday night. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire

UCLA basketball: Are Bruins needlessly huffing and puffing?

UCLA Coach Ben Howland recently voiced concerns about his team's conditioning, saying the Bruins "were really sucking air" as the result of practicing on a high-school length court inside the men's gymnasium on campus while Pauley Pavilion undergoes renovations.

Here's the thing: UCLA has a regulation court available to practice on and isn't using it.

School spokesman Ryan Finney said the Bruins are not using the Wooden Center, which features a college-length court and will be used by the women's team for its home games this season, because of two factors: difficulty coordinating practice times with student workouts and intramurals, as well as Howland's preference for holding closed practices.

If the Bruins practiced at the Wooden Center, Finney said, they would not be able to close the facility to other students.

Asked Sunday after UCLA's 80-72 exhibition victory over Cal State San Bernardino if he thought his team's conditioning had improved from its closed scrimmage against Cal State Fullerton, Howland said: "I thought our guys were really excited. I thought Reeves [Nelson] got tired early in the game because sometimes you have the adrenaline flowing so much. Everybody was kind of like that to start the game. I think our conditioning will continue to get better as we keep pushing it, but I don't want to overdo it either."

Nelson said the Bruins had taken measures to improve their conditioning, including extra running in practice to make up for the shortened length of the court inside the men's gym.

No. 17 UCLA opens its season Friday night at the Sports Arena against Loyola Marymount.

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-- Ben Bolch

UCLA basketball: Jerime Anderson suspended after guilty plea

UCLA senior guard Jerime Anderson has been reinstated with a two-game suspension after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges of appropriation of lost property and trespass in the wake of his July arrest for allegedly stealing a laptop computer.

Anderson will sit out the Bruins' exhibition game against Cal State San Bernardino on Nov. 6 and their regular-season opener against Loyola Marymount on Nov. 11.

As part of a plea agreement, Anderson must complete 300 hours of community service over a two-year period. If he has no other legal issues and completes his community service as scheduled, the charge of appropriation of lost property will be withdrawn and dismissed on Sept. 15, 2013.

"Jerime has been very remorseful in acknowledging his mistake and accepting responsibility for his actions," UCLA Coach Ben Howland said in a statement. "I believe he has learned a valuable lesson."

In a recent interview with The Times, Howland called the ordeal "a very humbling experience" for Anderson and said his absence as one of only two point guards on the Bruins' roster would be "crippling." Howland said junior college transfer De'End Parker and freshman Norman Powell could back up starting point guard Lazeric Jones, with freshman walk-on David Brown also a possibility to receive playing time in Anderson's absence.

Anderson averaged 5.1 points and 2.6 assists last season as Jones' backup.

--Ben Bolch

Photo: UCLA guard Jerime Anderson gets set to play defense against Cal State Los Angeles last season. Credit: Anne Cusack /Los Angeles Times

UCLA basketball: Coach Ben Howland enjoys ribbing people

What does UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland do during non-recruiting periods?

-- Goes on vacation to Hawaii.

-- Watches UCLA’s football practice.

-- Drums up business for a restaurant.

"I'm hungry, are the ribs here?"

Ben, don’t quit your day job.

-- Chris Foster