Defense Lets Bruins Down When Tempo Picks Up

INDIANAPOLIS, April 3 -- When Lee Humphrey sank a three-pointer in the first half, it gave Florida a hard-earned 24 points against UCLA's usually stingy defense. If the first half had ended at that moment, the Bruins might have had the Gators right where they wanted them.

But the clock at the RCA Dome instead still showed 9 minutes 55 seconds remaining in the first half. The game's tempo figured to be a key factor in Monday's national title game, and the Bruins lost control of the pace in the opening 10 minutes in a 73-57 loss to the Gators.

"It was not a good sign," UCLA reserve Darren Collison said of Florida's total of 24 points midway through the first half.

By halftime, UCLA had given up almost as many points (36) as the Bruins surrendered in each of their past two games. UCLA had held its previous two opponents -- Louisiana State and Memphis to 45 points. By halftime of those games, LSU had 24 points and Memphis had 21.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland knew his team had to slow Florida's transition game. The Gators did not convert their first fast-break basket until Corey Brewer's layup nearly nine minutes into the action, and the Bruins initially were disciplined offensively.

On four of its first seven possessions, UCLA did not attempt a shot until less than 15 seconds remained on the shot clock. But Florida gradually forced UCLA into some ill-advised decisions offensively that quickly gave the ball back to Florida.

On one sequence, Florida reserve Adrian Moss grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the layup. Collison then quickly pushed the ball into the lane but committed a charge. The Bruins had five turnovers in the first nine minutes, including three offensive fouls.

"We got sped up, especially early in the game," Howland said. "We got a little hurried. We had opportunities to actually come in the paint and stop, but we were moving too fast."

Only four times had teams scored 45 points or less in this year's NCAA tournament. Three of those teams had done so against the Bruins, who held their five previous tournament opponents to 17.5 percent shooting from three-point range.

Florida shot 44.4 percent in the first half and made only 2 of 9 three-point attempts, even though the Gators had a handful of open long-range attempts. But eight of the Gators' 12 field goals in the first half were either layups or close-range shots.

Howland felt his team's defensive rotations were slow in the first half and that the Gators did a good job attacking double teams in the post.

"They had a lot of open looks," Collison said. "We didn't contest any of their shots."

UCLA's defense, which has been the trademark of Howland's three-year tenure, figured to be tested more than it was Saturday, when the Bruins faced an LSU team with only one legitimate perimeter threat. Florida had three dangerous perimeter players -- Taurean Green, Brewer and Humphrey -- in addition to an imposing inside presence with 6-foot-11 Joakim Noah.

"It would be a lot easier to guard those three-point shooters if you weren't so worried about their big guys inside," Howland said. "They have very good balance."

The first 10 minutes seemed like a nightmare scenario for the Bruins. UCLA fouled 10 times in the game's first 11 minutes, which helped enable the Gators to attempt 12 free throws (they made 10).

After the Gators made five of their first six shots and took a double-digit lead midway through the first half, UCLA faced an uphill climb with a less-than-explosive offense. What was worse, the Bruins had spent 10 minutes playing Florida's style of play.

"They were playing their tempo," Collison said. "You really can't get any momentum."