Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams suspended one game for violation of team rules

UCLA’s already slim chances at catching Arizona for the Pac-12 lead may have just disappeared.

The team suspended leading scorers Jordan Adams and Kyle Anderson one game each for a violation of team rules. They will sit out when the Bruins tip off against Oregon at 8 p.m. tonight. The pair combines to average 32.1 points — over a third of the squad’s total output — as well as 14.2 rebounds, 9.1 assists and 4.6 steals.

The Ducks have the conference’s second-highest scoring offense behind UCLA, and lost their prior matchup in Eugene by just two points. With four games left in the regular season, the Bruins sit 2.5 games behind the Wildcats for first place.

Likely in line for their first career starts are freshman guards Zach LaVine and Bryce Alford. LaVine scored 14 points at Stanford last Saturday, his first double-digit effort in nearly a month, while Alford has averaged 7.8 points and 2.3 assists in his last eight games.

Looking back at the Arizona brawl

When UCLA visited Arizona last year, the result was a 42-7 halftime deficit and an embarrassing, bench-clearing brawl. After what was arguably the nadir of Rick Neuheisel’s stint, the Pac-12 suspended 10 combined players from the two teams. With the Wildcats visiting the Rose Bowl in three days, some were asked to reflect.

DE Cassius Marsh, suspended two games last year: “It’s been different. I made some mistakes last year. I was young. It’s a regret I have. I’m past it. I try to live my life being a bigger man and know that the reason I’m out there is to play football.”

Marsh, who was also involved in spring practice scuffles in 2011, seems to have matured this year.

Head coach Jim Mora: “They haven’t talked about it. I haven’t heard anyone even mention it. I think they learned their lesson. The conference was pretty direct in their punishment. I don’t think we have the type of team that would fall back into that.”