Post Game interviews

I really hope Love stays:

From his actions in the tournament, he really could be more than a star on the team--he could be a leader. Next year, Jrue will come in, and he is a 6'3" top guard pick and excellent passer. We might be able to have a real legitimate forward threat in Gordon that will make doubling Love all game impossible.

Frankly, he doesn't need the money. If Love's family were in any sort of financial difficulty, I would be upset if he didn't go to the NBA. But his family is rich, and being selfish, I think sacrificing a year and getting us a championship could really cement his legacy.

If he stays, we'll have continuity in terms of tournament appearance, which will be HUGE in terms of recruits. He could be the catalyst for the next UCLA era ... which would cement his legacy forever.

I'm being 100% selfish--he played great and frankly, deserves every bit to be in the NBA if that is what is best for him. But IF HE STAYS ... IF ... we'll be back.

by dokein on Apr 6, 2008 1:28 AM PDT reply actions

I agree...

My hope is that he wants to win a title in UCLA so bad that he stays for one more year. With next year's recruiting class in addition to Love, UCLA would definitely have a more athletic and offensively talented team because let's face it, those two things were the huge differences between us and Memphis.

Also, there's no replacement for Love like there is for Collison with Jrue Holiday so I don't envision a scenario where his draft stock would actually be hurt by coming back to play next year (hence the reason I have no reason to believe Collison will be back next year even after a 1-9 shooting finale; Holiday is just too talented and there's no way they can co-exist in terms of minutes).

That being said, it definitely wouldn't help Love's draft stock either and it would just be a one year delay for him to start playing in the NBA which is probably goal #1. He could have another monster year but it's not like he's going to become a top 5 pick. With that being said, I just can't see him coming back and can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if I were in his shoes.

by brewin05 on Apr 6, 2008 2:03 AM PDT up reply actions

the decision is easy

just look at the UCLA dance team. who'd want to jump to the NBA? Seriously, I'd give up my money for a shot at big man on campus for the next 3 years at UCLA.

Warren Buffett once said, "Taking a job for money is like marrying for money, which is especially dumb if you are already rich."

by bruinofthenorth on Apr 6, 2008 8:26 AM PDT up reply actions

Getting over the hump

Teams that have won the championship recently have really benefitted from NBA-level talent deciding to stay another year for a shot at the title. Memphis' Douglas-Roberts and Kansas' Rush are this years examples (although I know Rush's injury had a lot to do with it too) and Florida's Noah, Horford and Co. were last year's. How much better our chances would've been had Afflalo decided to stay another year?

I think it may take one of those type of players to surprise us all and turn away the NBA for a year for us to finally get over the hump.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 6, 2008 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Love's Legacy

As skilled as Love is, he's not going to be a perennial all-star at the next level. He'll have a successful 12-15 year career if he can stay healthy and will be a contributing role player for a team that knows how to utilize his skills. He has a special opportunity next year to etch his name into UCLA lore with the crop of outstanding recruits Coach Howland is bringing in. The past two years we had the guard play but not the interior presence, and this year when we finally had the interior presence we got killed on the perimeter. I couldn't help but wonder how much different this game would've been if we still had Arron Afflalo to lock down Derrick Rose or Chris Douglas-Roberts instead of averaging 12 minutes a game off the Piston bench. If Love stays, with a perimeter rotation of Holiday, Westbrook, Lee, Anderson, and Shipp, we'd be the most complete team in the nation. I know I'm being selfish in hoping he comes back, but I just think that his legacy at UCLA will be greater than the impact he has in the NBA.

by ishXdavid on Apr 6, 2008 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions

Google searches indicate interesting post-game...

Interesting post-game behavior: The hottest Google trends are "ucla cheerleaders" ranking above both "ucla memphis" and "unc kansas" search terms:

http://donnlee.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=40

Incidently, I have created a new Facebook group dedicated to these fine women:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10730688269

If you are a fan, pls join the group. GOoooo Bruins!

by donnlee on Apr 6, 2008 2:45 AM PDT reply actions

LA Times

Boy, they are really sticking it to CBH in today's paper. What I saw in this game was much like the first game against Florida two years ago- guys mishandling the ball, looking like they were shrinking in the big moment, whereas the Memphis brutes looked more confident. Those moments where the ball trickled out of bounds after getting a rebound, or hitting off someone's foot, looked all too familiar in the Final Four, but we didn't see much of that all year.

by GABruinFan on Apr 6, 2008 5:31 AM PDT reply actions

Plaschke sucks.

He just doesn't know he game. there would have been quite a different outcome if Roll had been healthy and Shipp hadn't lost his shot. And if Keefe had been 100%. So I just don't get how this defeat is supposed to be a reflection on Howland's coaching.

by Chandler on Apr 6, 2008 5:52 AM PDT up reply actions

I couldn't read today's sports section

I knew those "writers" would be all over him. Ugh. I read something of more value - today's comics.

by freesia39 on Apr 6, 2008 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions

That's "the" game.

by Chandler on Apr 6, 2008 6:19 AM PDT reply actions

Still hurts

I was hoping a night of sleep would help me get over it. But it still hurts as bad this morning.

The last two years we've been fortunate in that we've just lost one of our great players to the draft (Farmar, even though Bozeman and Hollins both graduated, in 2006, Afflalo last year), but it looks very real that we'll lose 3 this year in RW, DC, and Love and that sucks. I don't blame any of them at all for going pro if that's indeed what they decide. You play college ball to get to the next level. Not to mention Mata-Real graduating.

I do keep telling myself that we went/go to UCLA. We didn't go to George Mason and wonder if we will ever make it back to the Final Four. We will be back, probably sooner than later. We will one day get to see banner #12 (as well as several others) soon enough.

by SmrtGuy82 on Apr 6, 2008 6:55 AM PDT reply actions

Me, Too

Still hurting for our team. I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment--we are so lucky to be Bruins. I wrote last night that I wouldn't trade any one of these guys for a win, and I really mean that.

Listening to quotes from the Memphis players and their coach, I'm even more proud to be a Bruin.

I love this team, and I am truly going to miss them. There is something magical about them, you have to admit. National championship or not, I'll always have a special place in my heart for this group. These guys are MY "Dream Team."

No Matter What.

Love My Bruins

by Bruingirl83 on Apr 6, 2008 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions

Class

Thank you Telemachus for these videos. Didn't Howland and his players show a lot of class? only praising Memphis. Refreshing. This team was a real pleasure to watch. When I first heard of Kevin Love, I was expecting Brett Vroman, instead, you got Wes Unseld. The fatal flaw of all of Howland's teams seems to be jump shooting. A coach can put his players in the position to take shots, but they must knock them down. I reviewed some scouting reports for his recuits of class of 2008. Almost all state "needs to work on jumpshot" Uh oh. I haven't watched a highschool basketball game in 30 years. Is there something about the way they play the game today that doesn't place a premium on jumpshooting?

by oldgeezerUCSD77 on Apr 6, 2008 7:32 AM PDT reply actions

I think

a big focus today in upstart basketball stars is dribble-drive penetration.

by lolwtferic on Apr 6, 2008 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions

oldgeezer ,so you remember

Brett Vroman, the player of the year from Utah that couldn't do a darn thing for Bartow. How about Gig Simms ? Gary Cunningham just gave up on him also.

Wooden developed Ralph Drollinger well, limited in skills as the latter was.

Thesesd are those great white centers that didn't pan out after Walton left. Oh, I forgot about Stuart Grey and Dan Gazuric too.

by Htse005 on Apr 6, 2008 10:55 AM PDT up reply actions

I didn't have a problem...

with Plaschke's article. I know a majority of the time he doesn't know what he's talking about, but it is fair assessment given how we've performed the past 3 years in the final 4. He is not bashing CBH, he is merely saying that we need to start recruiting more athletic players and give them some freedom on the offensive end without sacrificing the tough-minded defensive attitude that we've come to love. I hate to say it but the Memphis Tigers played awesome D and still were able to play amazing on the offensive side. The constant dribbling outside the arc and finding a bail out shot at the end of the shot-clock isn't going to work all the time. As "Class" mentioned we severely lacked a go to player (aka: Arron Afflalo) who would be willing and is capable of hitting a shot for us. I don't know about the rest of you, when I was watching the game, i was hoping shots would go in the second half, and not confident they would go in. Here's to hoping CBH gives Lee, Holiday, Anderson and Gordon a chance to show their offensive prowess next year. Go Bruins.

by eoj703 on Apr 6, 2008 9:38 AM PDT reply actions

I think it's absurd to say that the problem was...

...lack of offensive freedom.

Afflalo went to the NBA, Shipp lost his shot and Roll was out for the year. If any of those three things didn't happen, we might well be playing on Monday night. Plus Keefe wasn't all the way back from injury.

by Chandler on Apr 6, 2008 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions

Plaschke's article was absurd

and a total joke. To suggest that Howland should change his approach given what he has accomplished last five years is ignorant and clueless.

by Nestor on Apr 6, 2008 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions

It sounds like he wants to go back in time

Before Howland, our guys free-lanced and shot and ran up and down the court and played fast basketball. The results? Forget about that. Let's have entertaining basketball. Let's get the Harlem Globetrotters' playbook. But if we decide to go that route, we should book every game against the Washington Generals.

I prefer what Coach Howland gives us to what his predecessor had, to what Lute has, and to what Plashke wants. I like winning more than I like free-style basketball. We went 97-17 the past three years. I haven't looked, but I doubt there are many teams with that record.

If this drivel came from someone who had any credibility, it would be a reason to fire back some sort of response. But it's justplaschke (used in the same sense as justsc). He's just another Doh! But I would make one change if I were UCLA. I would let justplaschke buy a ticket the next time he wanted to watch one of our games.

by Fox 71 on Apr 6, 2008 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions

So true indeed !

I still remember Jordan Farmar dribbling down the seconds, then took off for his outside shot or penetrating.

Last night, it was Collison doing it, wasting precious time before he either dished it off or tried and missed the basket.

by Htse005 on Apr 6, 2008 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions

Offensive freedom

The last thing I want to see UCLA doing is jacking up shots early in the shot clock for no real reason. Howland's style of offense is to be efficient in their shot selection. Unfortunately, I just don't think he quite has the players that he wants yet to truly run his style of offense. It seems that he's had great wings that are scoring threats, but little post presence. This season it's been good wings at times and one solid post presence, but little depth. He's maximizing the most right now out of his players. I think once he gets all these great 5-star caliber players that are good at many different things, you're going to see not only a great offensively efficient team, but also one that will run a lot. Plaschke and his like just want to see a bunch of kids running up and down the floor jacking up whatever shot is first available regardless of game situation.

by UCLA4Life on Apr 6, 2008 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions

i agree

the clear common thread with our teams have been a tremendously unbalanced emphasis on defense which has paid DIVIDENDS, but on the other hand, non-existent straight scoring. arron afflalo has been the closest thing we've had to a scorer in this howland era, and he's a defensive stopper. i think howland knows this, and these next recruits coming in are finally rounding out the ultimate vision he's had. he's using his clout in recruiting now to get the guys who can score, who are athletes, and fitting them into his already incredibly efficient system of defense. not something myself or any other crazed bruin fan wants to hear, but i think the next couple years are gonna be the first big ones for us. in terms of getting to the final four and not finishing, i've been looking at it as if we've been getting there prematurely in terms of the great picture of the howland era which is why we haven't ever finished. i think these next couple of years with the complete athletes is going to be the most telling.

by deepdish on Apr 6, 2008 10:12 AM PDT reply actions

And I agree with your agreement

Your point about how we have been getting to the Final Four prematurely is a good one. With the talent we have, CBH has coached them to a point that they have OVERACHIEVED to get to the Final Four, NOT UNDERACHIEVED to go home without a banner.

What a great year for such a deserving team! And, the best years may still be the ones ahead for our teams under CBH.

Go Bruins!

by Joe Bruin on Apr 6, 2008 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Shooters

It was clear the second half of the season that we were lacking the shooters to get the pressure off of our big man. Shipp's slump and the lack of Michael Roll from the the three point line really hurt us. We need more length and better shooting to get the title. That said, Memphis backcourt was sensational, NBA ready. We might have been eliminated, again, by the next champs.

by BruinAl on Apr 6, 2008 10:23 AM PDT reply actions

Just look at K. Love's face...

he looks like someone died. I feel for our players and coaches who are probably taking this harder than anybody but we will be back next year!

by bruindodger on Apr 6, 2008 12:09 PM PDT reply actions

The loss

Coach Howland doesn't need to do anything different in approaching the game. Defense and rebounding wins championships.

UCLA didn't lose because Memphis was longer and faster, or because the coach's offensive strategy was too constrained.

The Bruins lost for the following reasons:

1) Love was mugged without getting calls until he was exhausted in the second half.

2) Collison was flat (again) and couldn't slow down whomever he was guarding.

3) The team lacked its usual aggression on offense, defense, and the boards.

Collison's defense acting as a sieve early must have intimidated the team by making Memphis look unstoppable.

3.5) Undisciplined offense: Love and Mbah a Moute were tough inside, but those occasions when they got their hands on the ball inside were too rare.

4) The wrong defensive match-ups: This was exposed when Collison left the game with his fourth foul.

The earlier switching of Westbrook onto Collison's man was an improvement, but when Collison went out and the Bruins had Love, Mbah a Moute, Keefe, Shipp, and Westbrook on the floor, UCLA finally stopped Memphis, making them look like every other decent team they played this year.

UCLA was too strong for the Tigers with this line-up; even Rose decided not to try to penetrate and gave up the ball to teammates on the perimeter.

The most frustrating moment of the game came when Howland reinserted Collison.

It was inexplicable.

I expect that UCLA will be back again next year in the Final Four. I hope that when faced with a similar situation, Coach Howland will sit whomever is intimidated (no matter who it is) and go to his team's strengths.

by SantiagoMatamoros on Apr 6, 2008 11:27 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah sure

DCs bad game gave Memphis a mental advantage over the rest of the Bruins, which led to their better rebounding, less turnovers, more fast break points, more loose balls, better bench production, and keeping our best player in check. Memphis' length and athleticism had nothing to do with that, right?

What else are you going to blame DC for? Global warming? Falling house prices?

Yes DC had a bad game. Outside of Westbrook offensively (defensively he gave up a sieve-like 28 points as well), nobody else had a particulary good game to make up for it. I think Memphis had a lot to do with that. Pinning this loss on DCs play is just simply missing the forest for the trees.

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 7, 2008 2:22 AM PDT up reply actions

gbt95's "analysis"

Silly non sequiturs, gbt95.

You admit Collison "had a bad game."

Does not an inability to stop penetration hurt one's defensive effectiveness?

Chick Hearn used to call it "Matador Defense."

Did not the line-up I noted (Love, Mbah a Moute, Keefe, Shipp, and Westbrook) stifle the Memphis attack?

Of course Memphis is an excellent team, but their length and athleticism was an insurmountable problem for Collison, only.

If Coach Howland had gone with his more effective line-up sooner (or longer), the Bruins would have had an opportunity to win that game.

So much for sticking to the facts, gbt95.

by SantiagoMatamoros on Apr 7, 2008 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions

Disagree

Memphis length and athleticism were a problem for all of the Bruins, not just Collison.

Love only scored 12 points, and struggled to get open with Dorsey and Dozier fronting him. Dorsey outrebounded him 15 to 9.

Luc shot 4 for 13. Shipp made 2 early three pointers, but essentially was a non factor the rest of the game. Keefe and Aboya were nonfactors offensively.

Westbrook scored 22 points, a season high, but let his man score 28. He did as much as he could offensively; I don't think we can expect much more offensive production than what he put up.

DC wasn't the only player who struggled. Every Bruin struggled in some facet of the game.

With Collison out of the lineup, Love getting double-teamed, Westbrook doing as much as he can, and everyone else held in check, where exactly is our offense going to come from? That was the dilemma Ben faced at around the 6 minute mark. Had he benched DC the rest of the game and we had lost 68-63, guess what would be the topic of discussion amongst all of us right now?

"You don't make it to the Final Four three straight times for no reason..Obviously coaching has something to do with it." Darren Collison

by godblesstyus95 on Apr 7, 2008 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions

The loss, continued . . .

The Tigers' length and athleticism was not a problem for Love; getting mugged continually during both halves and getting few, if any, calls was a problem. As you note, his teammates' ineffectiveness on offense allowed the double-teaming, adding to Love's difficulties.

The Tigers' length and athleticism was not a problem for Mbah a Moute, Shipp, Keefe, nor Aboya. They couldn't hit uncontested shots and for the most part, lacked their usual aggression and confidence.

If I remember correctly, Westbrook was the only one whose shots were blocked because Memphis had a physical advantage (a 6' 3" guard driving in against their bigs). He -- apart from moments with Love and Mbah a Moute -- was the only Bruin attacking on offense.

The only physical advantage Memphis had against the Bruins was when Collison tried unsuccessfully to slow down their bigger, scoring guards.

I don't hold that against Collison or the coach; I was identifying the one line-up I saw that began playing typical-Ben-Howland-defense.

We don't know if the Bruins would have won staying with that line-up, but we do know that they didn't going away from it.

And I agree with you: God bless Tyus.

by SantiagoMatamoros on Apr 7, 2008 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Collison

Drew Neitzel, DJ Augustine, Darren Collison... that's quite a list of point guards that Derrick Rose took to school the past couple of weeks. Derrick Rose reminds me a lot of Deron Williams NOW. I love Collison, but he just picked the worst time to disappear and you can't really blame him. I wonder if he still thinks he's ready for the NBA where physical point guards are everywhere.

by ishXdavid on Apr 7, 2008 8:08 AM PDT reply actions