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Point guard Cedric Bozeman will lead UCLA at St. John’s on Saturday.

New York is about as far as UCLA can get from the Pac-10 conference. And, after succumbing to USC on Wednesday and stretching their conference losing streak to four games, escape might be exactly what the Bruins need right now.

UCLA faces off against St. John’s tomorrow at Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple. The Bruins will be looking to avenge last year’s 15-point loss to St. John’s at Pauley and also to bring a win back to Westwood.

“I’ve never been to New York, so it’ll be interesting to go -- but I’m just trying to get a victory,” point guard Cedric Bozeman said.

Bozeman’s sentiment extends to other members of his team as well. Although the Red Storm’s 80-65 victory over UCLA (currently 9-7 overall, 5-4 Pac-10) last year hasn’t waned in the team’s mind, this season’s St. John’s squad seems reminiscent of last season’s 10-19 Bruins. The Red Storm have lost all seven Big East conference games, and their overall record stands at 4-13. However, Bozeman said, that record is not indicative of their ability.

“They play hard,” Bozeman said. “Their record wasn’t too hot last year (either).”

St. John’s was only 8-4 when they created a storm of their own in Westwood. But the team the Bruins will face tomorrow is significantly different than the one they lost to last year. The Red Storm have lost All-Big-East guard Marcus Hatten, who averaged over 20 points per game, and Anthony Glover, who averaged 10.6 points and five rebounds per game. Both were dominant forces on last year’s squad.

One bright spot on UCLA’s radar is the return of shooting guard Brian Morrison, who re-joined the Bruins on the court Wednesday after sitting out nine games due to injury. Despite his tentative performance against the Trojans, his three-point shooting and his role in UCLA’s transition defense will be vital in the next round of Pac-10 play. Tomorrow will bring him an opportunity to get back into his rhythm.

Despite the chance to use Saturday’s game as a turning-point in the season, coach Ben Howland is not a fan of traveling east for a non-conference game during a crucial point in the conference season.

“I would rather we get a chance to practice,” he said. “We’re at that point in the season that we never get a lot of time to practice, but that’s not something we can really control.”

Citing the fast nature of the quarter system, Howland said the time away from class is unnecessary for his players but that the game, which will be televised on CBS, is a great recruiting opportunity for UCLA.

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