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Jordan Farmar and the rest of UCLA’s prized freshmen will get their first taste of single-e

Jordan Farmar says he’s ready for postseason play. Arron Afflalo doesn’t expect it to be too tough of an adjustment.

Yet, when the Bruins take the floor at Staples Center for their match-up with Oregon State in the first round of the Pac-10 Tournament this afternoon, it nonetheless will be the first taste of single-elimination play for UCLA’s prized freshmen this season.

“They haven’t been there,” senior Dijon Thompson said. “It’s almost going to be like their first Pac-10 game at Oregon State – deer in the headlights. But I think we have enough seniors on the team to help them out.”

Although the one-and-done atmosphere will be more intense, Farmar, Afflalo and fellow freshman Josh Shipp have played beyond their youth all season long, and don’t believe that a tournament format offers any particularly new challenges for them. Each of them pointed to their extensive playoff experience in high school, where the trio played on championship-contending teams, as the reason why they feel perfectly prepared.

In fact, as one might expect from a precocious freshman, there’s talk among them of actually winning the tournament.

“We’re relaxed right now,” freshman Arron Afflalo said. “I don’t think any of us feel the pressure that’s possibly out there. We’re comfortable, and we have that potential (to win).”

None of the freshmen, however, have ever played under the bright lights of Staples Center with postseason implications on the line. The fourth-seeded Bruins (18-9, 11-7 Pac-10), who have won their last four games, appear to have all but locked up an NCAA Tournament berth and are likely playing for a better seeding when the draw is announced this Sunday.

UCLA coach Ben Howland, however, is not worried about how his freshmen will react.

“I think they’ve had so much experience now,” Howland said. “All three of our starting freshmen are playing over 30 minutes per game in conference. They’ve been through a whole year now, and they’re playing good basketball.”

So are the rest of the Bruins, who finished in the upper half of the Pac-10 standings for the first time since the 2000-2001 season.

The Oregon State game will be a rubber match for UCLA, who defeated the Beavers 69-61 a week ago at Pauley Pavilion.

Fifth-seeded Oregon State (16-13, 8-10) defeated UCLA in Corvallis, Ore., on New Year’s Eve in the first conference game of the season, but lost all nine of its conference road games this season.

“But when we came into that last game they were 0-7 (on the road), and they played very well against us at Pauley,” Howland said.

If the Bruins do get by the Beavers, they will face the winner of the Arizona-Cal game on Friday evening. UCLA split with the Bears and was swept by the first-place Wildcats during the regular season, though the Bruins did nearly spring the upset against Arizona in Tucson.

Though several of the Bruins admitted it will be difficult to beat Oregon State twice in such a short time span, the team isn’t lacking confidence.

The Bruins are playing their best basketball of the year, sharing the ball on offense and holding each of their last four opponents below 70 points.

Not even starting a trio of freshman who have no postseason experience is cause for apprehension.

“The way we’re playing right now, the chemistry is there,” Afflalo said. “We’re all about winning.”

With reports from Jeff Eisenberg, Bruin Sports senior staff.