Caution Is Urged for Foul-Prone Davis

UCLA freshman point guard Baron Davis, who sprained a toe on his left foot during practice Monday and could sit out tonight’s game against USC, needs to ratchet-back his aggressiveness in the early-going and stay away from quick foul trouble, Coach Steve Lavin said.

Davis has fouled out of three of UCLA’s six Pacific 10 Conference games and fouled out of both games during last weekend’s trip to the Bay Area.

“He’s the kind of player who needs a couple fouls to use; we call them a couple aces in the hole, late in the game,” Lavin said. “So that when the game’s called more loosely, in the last seven minutes of a hard-fought game . . . at that point is where he can turn up the heat, turn up the aggressiveness.”

Lavin said most of Davis’ offensive inconsistency--Davis has made only one of his 12 three-point attempts in the last six games--has come because he has gotten in such quick foul trouble, throwing his rhythm off.