Early next week, the UCLA coaches and players will gather on campus to address the state of their basketball program.
Only two starters returning. A roster that will feature three seniors and a handful of sophomores next season. Not exactly a recipe for March Madness.
As Coach Ben Howland said: "We've got a lot of work to do."
It was only a few months ago that Howland warned everyone within earshot the 2008-09 Bruins were neither as deep nor as experienced as the teams that reached the previous three Final Fours.
A 26-9 record, capped by a blowout loss to Villanova in the second round of the NCAA tournament, proved him right. And the players who remain know that next season could be rougher.
"Everybody's doubting us right now," forward Drew Gordon said. "We're young. We're inexperienced."
With the core of the team -- seniors Darren Collison, Josh Shipp and Alfred Aboya -- departing, any discussion of UCLA's future begins with freshman Jrue Holiday and a possible quick exit to the NBA.
Holiday averaged 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds, suffered defensive lapses and looked like a player who could use another year of college.
But he played out of position at off guard and, given a few minutes to run the offense against Virginia Commonwealth last week, showed flashes of quickness and court sense that could make him a high pick in an upcoming draft thin on point guards.
"I will tell his parents and Jrue what I think, but ultimately it comes down to his decision and their decision," Howland said. "They've got to be able to weigh the different factors in where he would be if he came out now versus where he wants to be or where he'd be a year from now."
Holiday said of his impending decision: "I kind of expected to go a little bit further than this [in the tournament], so there really is no timetable."
Other aspects of next season's team are more certain.
Nikola Dragovic, who won a starting spot at forward in January and averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds, must continue to improve on defense. Forward James Keefe will be back, as will swingman Michael Roll, the team's most accurate three-point shooter at 51%.
With or without Holiday, freshmen Malcolm Lee and Jerime Anderson -- the backup point guard this season -- will play major roles in the backcourt. Howland is particularly enthusiastic about Lee, the most athletic player on the roster. The coach says Lee could become another Russell Westbrook.
