Huskies’ Brockman is what might have been

It’s a tempting what-if, thinking about UCLA’s lineup if Washington forward Jon Brockman had come to Westwood.

The fifth-ranked Bruins (14-1, 2-0) play host to Washington (9-5, 0-1) tonight in a Pacific 10 Conference game, and UCLA Coach Ben Howland can only muse about what might have been if recruiting efforts to snag Brockman had been successful.

Howland is trying to find a fix to his injury-caused problem of coming up short from the eight-man rotation he wants for conference play. Right now he has only seven players he trusts with minutes that matter.

Of course, he might not have the problem had Brockman, a junior forward from Snohomish, Wash., not chosen Washington over Duke and UCLA.

The 6-foot-7, 255-pound Brockman is leading the conference in rebounding with 11.4 a game, and he is fourth in scoring with 18.4 points a game.

“Brockman is as good a competitor as there is in the conference,” Howland said. “He’s so tough physically. He had 17 boards against Washington State. He’s just a beast. Everything there starts with Jon. He poses problems.”

UCLA center Kevin Love said he was familiar with Brockman.

“My AAU team actually played his in high school,” said Love, a freshman. “ . . . He’s a physical guy. What I most enjoy about him from the respect standpoint is that he plays all 40 minutes, never looks up.”

Bruins forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute said he has been impressed with Brockman’s will: “He always goes hard, he positions himself well. He works at every possession. He’s to be admired.”

Brockman said he came “very close” to coming to UCLA. In fact, he said he rooted for UCLA in its last two Final Four appearances as he tried to push back thoughts that he could have been the missing piece in the Bruins’ falling short of a national championship.

“I’d think that for a minute and brush it away,” Brockman said. “I love where I’m at.”

UCLA could use him now too. In 400 minutes of playing time for UCLA against Stanford and California last week, six players received all but 43 minutes. Point guard Darren Collison played 74 minutes, and shooting guard Russell Westbrook and swingman Josh Shipp each played 66.

Howland is hoping sophomore forward James Keefe and freshman swingman Chace Stanback play more meaningful minutes.

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TONIGHT

vs. Washington, 7:30, FSN Prime

Radio -- 570.

Site -- Pauley Pavilion.

Records -- UCLA, 14-1, 2-0; Washington 9-5, 0-1.

Update -- The Huskies have lost 20 of their last 21 games at Pauley Pavilion, their only win during that span coming two years ago, 69-65. But Washington beat then-No. 2-ranked UCLA, 61-51, at Bank of America Arena in March. The Bruins’ Darren Collison, who is recovering from food poisoning, practiced Wednesday and is expected to play tonight. [email protected]