UCLA guard Lamb will undergo knee surgery

UCLA guard Tyler Lamb will have arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to repair loose cartilage in his left knee and will be out four to six weeks, the school announced Sunday.

LOS ANGELES -- UCLA Bruins guard Tyler Lamb will have arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to repair loose cartilage in his left knee and will be out four to six weeks, the school announced Sunday.

Lamb, a junior, started 32 of UCLA's 33 games last season and averaged nine points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He is considered one of the team's top perimeter defenders. Lamb had a similar surgery between his senior year in high school and freshman year at UCLA and was out four weeks.

"I'm very optimistic that Tyler will be back in four weeks," head coach Ben Howland said in a statement. ""He's going to be very diligent with his rehab, and we are hopeful that this will be a quick and successful procedure. He had similar surgery on this knee the summer before his freshman year, and he quickly recovered from that."

Lamb averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists during UCLA's three-game goodwill tour in China from Aug. 23-29, 2012. UCLA opens the 2012-13 season in a renovated Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 9 against Indiana State so there is a chance he could be ready to play in the opener.