ANOTHER LESSON LEARNED BRUINS VOW THEY WON'T FORGET `HURT' OF LOSS TO FLORIDA.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff writer

INDIANAPOLIS - In the aftermath of Florida's 73-57 demolition of UCLA in Monday's NCAA national championship game at the RCA Dome, several Bruins had flashbacks.

They remembered a rallying cry, similar to the one heard in Tucson, Ariz., last March after losing to Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament.

"It hurts badly. I don't want to feel like this ever again," UCLA point guard Jordan Farmar said. "It started with Texas Tech. We got our butts whipped there in the first round. We learned, we worked hard, got better, tried to help our younger guys understand what we were talking about.

"Now we've gained so much experience as a unit, it'll be interesting coming back."

UCLA's unexpected success - the Bruins (32-7) matched a school record for wins, won the Pacific-10 Conference regular-season and tournament titles and reached the Final Four two years after going 11-17 despite mixing five freshmen and four sophomores with two seniors - brings heightened expectations for next season.

That means next year's goal is winning the national championship, players such as Farmar, Arron Afflalo, Darren Collison and Lorenzo Mata, as well as coach Ben Howland, said after the loss.

"We have to remember this hurtful feeling and learn from it," Afflalo said. "We're not going to forget losing this game. Experiences like this, I think, allow me to work hard and try to get better. This is going to be there for a while."

Several things must happen for UCLA to return stronger.

First, Farmar, who had an inconsistent NCAA Tournament, must return for his junior season. He was non-committal after the loss to the Gators, and he and his family are expected to research his draft status, and a trip to the NBA's pre-draft camp is not out of the question.

However, several NBA scouts project Farmar as a second-round pick, and it's unlikely he would leave without being a guaranteed first-rounder. His erratic play in the NCAA Tournament showcased his skills, but also demonstrated areas in which he needs to grow.

Farmar averaged 12.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in six games, shot 37 percent from the field, including 30.7 percent from 3-point range, and had 25 assists and 20 turnovers.

Collison, Farmar's backup, showed his ability to play at a high level late in the season, but will have to work on his ballhandling and shooting skills to become more than a great defender and an offensive threat only in the transition game.

Beyond Farmar, UCLA's biggest concern is finding someone to fill the spot left by senior center Ryan Hollins. It's no coincidence the Bruins, whose 12-game winning streak was ended by the Gators, began playing their best when Hollins became an offensive threat and better rebounder.

The oft-maligned Hollins averaged 10.6 points (nearly double his regular-season average) and grabbed 6.3 rebounds in the tournament. But one area that must improve is UCLA's low-post defense.

Part of the reason Florida's big men, Joakim Noah and Al Horford, were so dominant - combining for 30 points, 16 rebounds, eight blocks and six assists in the title game - is because the Bruins were forced to double-team in the low post.

The Bruins made it through the NCAAs utilizing that strategy against Alabama, Gonzaga, Memphis and LSU, but it would lessen the defensive burden on others if UCLA could defend one-on-one in the low post.

Mata and Alfred Aboya will get the first cracks. Neither is as athletic as Hollins, but should be stronger.

"We had a great year," Howland said. "We wouldn't be here without the guys in the middle."

With power forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute returning, Josh Shipp expected to slide into senior wing Cedric Bozeman's slot after missing the season with a hip injury, and the returns of Afflalo, Collison and Michael Roll, UCLA has plenty of options.

McDonald's All-American James Keefe, a power forward from Santa Margarita High, and European big man Marko Spica (if he gets a qualifying SAT score) add depth to the frontcourt.

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UCLA head coach Ben Howland speaks to his team late in the Bruins' loss to Florida on Monday night.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press