Bozeman Returning To Bruins

Bad shoulder and aching knee notwithstanding, Cedric Bozeman is coming back for one last stab at playing basketball for UCLA.

Four weeks after he tore cartilage in his left shoulder in practice, the fifth-year senior swingman has been cleared to practice and resume playing limited minutes. Barring a setback in practice, Bozeman figures to play 15 to 20 minutes a game this week when the 17th-ranked Bruins head north to play Oregon and Oregon State.

"It's a start,'' Bozeman said Tuesday with a wry smile, when asked if he'll actually abide by the minutes limitation. "We'll see how it goes. Only time will tell (how many minutes I actually play)."

"When I hurt the shoulder, I didn't really think about asking for a (hardship redshirt)," Bozeman said. "I'd played too many games. I didn't figure they'd give me a sixth season.

"Every day I've felt a little bit better. There's soreness, but it's something I can play through."
Bozeman joked with reporters that he won't be able to do any "left-handed monster dunks," but other than that, the limitations from his sore shoulder are minimal.

"It might hurt some if I get hit on it, but I'll be able to use the left hand," Bozeman said. Daily Breeze