It's UCLA -- only banners get headlines

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute grew up in Cameroon mostly unaware of the NCAA basketball tournament and of UCLA's historic accomplishment of 11 titles.

It has taken the sophomore forward two years to get what it means to be a UCLA basketball player.

"UCLA counts championships," Mbah a Moute said Saturday night after the Bruins had been subdued by Florida in a 76-66 loss. "Having to fail before the final, it's really hard. It's almost like it outweighs all the success we had during the season."

Mbah a Moute had stuffed himself deep into a locker at the Georgia Dome, with ice bags wrapped on both knees and his head in his hands.

As the Bruins progressed to the national championship game last year, Mbah a Moute became a national presence.

The 6-foot-8 forward had grown more aggressive offensively, was named Pacific 10 Conference freshman of the year and was causing talk that he might be good enough to leave for the NBA after this season. That talk has been stifled this season, same as the Bruins, but it showed Mbah a Moute how high expectations are for UCLA basketball.

"I need to work on everything," Mbah a Moute said Saturday. "I need to work on my shot and my offensive moves. I need to work on my physicality."

Mbah a Moute had two shots blocked by Florida on Saturday and missed a layup when he double pumped rather than jumping up and dunking.

Next season, he and his Cameroonian teammate Alfred Aboya may be the biggest beneficiaries of UCLA's top recruit, Kevin Love. All season Coach Ben Howland has said that Aboya, also 6-8, is better suited to playing power forward than center. Love, a 6-foot-10 McDonald's All-American, will make the center position a strength for the Bruins.

Whether Love starts immediately or backs up improving junior Lorenzo Mata at first, Aboya and Mbah a Moute may get the chance to play at more natural spots, power and small forward.

Whether guard Arron Afflalo, a first-team All-American and the Pac-10 player of the year, returns for his senior season or leaves for a chance to play in the NBA, most of the team understands that making the Final Four is not a triumphant season.

"Nothing short of winning it all is good enough," sophomore point guard Darren Collison said.

They also understood that while they have become one of the best defensive teams in the country, when it mattered most the last two years, scoring was just too difficult.