Reeves Nelson

LAS VEGAS — There's less of Reeves Nelson than before. He has shaved about 15 pounds off his 6-foot-8 hulk since December, shrunk his body fat percentage to 3% and chipped away at the arrogant pride that he says once derailed him. He sits at the end of the Lakers' bench as a member of their Summer League team here, not playing a single second in two games through Saturday, clapping for his teammates, clinging to the edges of his childhood dream....

UCLA's basketball team, which has one of the nation's top incoming freshman classes as well as a newly renovated home arena, will open its season against Indiana State at Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 9. The Bruins' nonconference schedule includes home games against NCAA tournament participants Long Beach State and Missouri, as well as a matchup against San Diego State in the Wooden Classic at the Honda Center. UCLA, Georgetown, Georgia and Indiana will take part in the Legends Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the new home of the New Jersey Nets.

An attorney for former UCLA basketball player Reeves Nelson filed a suit against Sports Illustrated. The suit alleges defamation, false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress stemming from a story on the Bruins' basketball program while Nelson was a member of the team. Nelson was painted as a bully to his teammates in the story. He was dismissed from the team in December. “A story like this is so sensationalized, it is almost impossible to get reputation back,” said Keith Fink, attorney for Nelson.

Ben Howland will remain UCLA's basketball coach, UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero announced Tuesday. In a prepared statement, Guerrero said that he and Howland had “several discussions” after the volatile season. Guard Jerime Anderson was arrested for misdemeanor theft in August, Reeves Nelson, the Bruins' top player, was dismissed from the team in December and a Sports Illustrated story portrayed Howland as having lost control of his team. “Ben understands full well that the management and oversight of the program needs improvement,” Guerrero said.

Seniors Jerime Anderson and Lazeric Jones, arms draped over each other, trudged back to the UCLA locker room Thursday. "We were trying to console each other," Jones said. Joshua Smith called the last five months "a big disappointment. " Travis Wear was perplexed, saying, "It's tough to say what happened this season. " The talk was unnecessary. The emotionless way the Bruins lumbered off the court after a 66-58 loss to Arizona in the Pacific Life Pac-12 Conference tournament quarterfinals was a picture worth 1,000 words.

UCLA's Jerime Anderson got a split lip, which required a couple of stitches to close. Teammate Lazeric Jones shot a free throw that looked even uglier, with the ball not reaching the rim. David Wear missed a dunk. Joshua Smith missed the bus. There were enough isolated incidents to keep the social media world humming. But the lesson to be learned from the Bruins' 55-40 victory over injury-ravaged USC Wednesday was that someone has to win. UCLA (19-13) will play Arizona (21-10)

UCLA and USC both have men's basketball programs badly in need of an off-season. One will get there soon enough. The Bruins and Trojans play Wednesday afternoon at Staples Center in the first round of the Pacific Life Pac-12 Conference tournament. Few give UCLA any chance winning four games in four nights to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Fewer believe USC can win even one game. "Maybe this season has been a little disappointing," UCLA senior guard Jerime Anderson said. "We can't look at it like that.

So, another Southland college basketball coach is taking heat. Tim Floyd was here three years ago, when the former USC coach was accused of handing an envelope of cash to one of the hangers-on around star Trojans guard O.J. Mayo. Floyd, angered that then-Athletic Director Mike Garrett wasn't supportive with a roster weakened by the NBA departures of DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Daniel Gibson, resigned in June 2009 and has now moved on to Texas El Paso. The NCAA never found he had engaged in the alleged cash exchange.

Saturday's game ended with UCLA Coach Ben Howland screaming at his players — not that usual tough-love-type stuff, mind you. This was sheer happiness. The Bruins had a rough week, with a Sports Illustrated story portraying a program in disarray. It was part of a rough regular season that began with leading scorer Reeves Nelson being tossed off the team. So the Bruins found particular joy in a 75-69 victory over Washington — the Pac-12 Conference's first-place team — that resulted in senior walk-on Tyler Trapani getting pushed around by teammates in the locker room as Howland hollered.

This was therapeutic … or maybe UCLA's basketball players have just become numb to upheaval. In a season that has lurched from one hot spot to another, the Bruins had a uncomplicated evening. Beating Washington State, 78-46, Thursday night at the Sports Arena was more than a Pac-12 Conference victory. It was 40 minutes without incident. “We just needed a win,” guard Lazeric Jones said. The Bruins have walked on coals since before the season began. Jerime Anderson, their senior point guard, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft before the season.