BRUINS FRESHMEN LOOKING AHEAD UCLA PLEASED WITH PROGRESS.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

TUCSON, Ariz. - Early in the season, after UCLA peppered a patsy, Arron Afflalo sat at the postgame news conference podium and spoke about reaching the Final Four.

By midseason, Afflalo's visions changed. Making the tournament was the thing, and ``you just have to win six in a row from there'' to be the national champion.

By early March, the affable Afflalo chuckled about his naivete and said making the NCAA Tournament was the goal.

And so goes the learning curve for UCLA's talented, easily excitable and often overburdened freshmen, who will be sophomores the next time they wear a UCLA uniform.

The Bruins' return to the NCAA Tournament was brief - their season ended Thursday with a 78-66 first-round loss to Texas Tech - but it served many purposes, and gave the Bruins a reason to be giddy about the future.

``We're finishing in the NCAA Tournament with a team that really faced a lot of adversity,'' UCLA coach Ben Howland said. ``I think this is a positive step for the program, getting back in the Tournament, doing well in a very tough league and competing really hard all year long. And we got better. We were a lot better team than when we played Chicago State (to open the season).''

After missing the NCAA Tournament two consecutive years, then going 18-11, a first-round NCAA loss is progress, the players said.

``I'm not satisfied with the season, but I'm definitely proud how we came back and fought because nobody expected us to make it this far,'' UCLA senior power forward Dijon Thompson said. ``There's no regrets for me coming back for my senior year. I wish I could stay.''

Next year the expectations will rise.

The freshmen starters - Jordan Farmar, Afflalo and Josh Shipp - and reserve center Lorenzo Mata each made the requisite ``we need to get stronger'' comments, and it is true. The experience each gained from their first college season also is pivotal.

Farmar, Pacific-10 Conference Freshman of the Year, Afflalo and Shipp each averaged more than 30 minutes per game in conference play. Farmar averaged a staggering 34.4 minutes in 29 games, and Howland admitted fatigue played a factor in Farmar's 1-for-9 shooting against the Red Raiders.

``We played the last (19) games with four perimeter players, playing three spots, which is not ideal,'' Howland said.

That won't happen next season because backcourt depth, which was down to the three freshman and Brian Morrison, won't be an issue.

Point guard Cedric Bozeman, who missed the season after reconstructive knee surgery, will be back. Janou Rubin, if he is granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA, will return as a walk-on. Also, incoming point guard Darren Collison of Etiwanda High, wing Michael Roll of Aliso Viejo High and wing Luc Richard Mbaha a Moute of Montverde (Fla.) Academy will compete for playing time.

Those additions will allow Howland to rest players, or bench them if they aren't playing well, particularly on the defensive end.

``I don't like to play players 38, 39 minutes,'' Howland said. ``No one in the NBA is playing 45 minutes a game, 44 minutes a game. It's just hard, especially the way we want to play. We want to play pushing the ball.''

Backup court depth is one issue, and finding a dependable source of points, rebounds and defense at center is another.

At times, 7-footer Michael Fey, who will be a senior, looked capable, however, Fey's season was fraught with inconsistencies. He had two points and no rebounds in 27 minutes in the Pac-10 tournament loss to Oregon State, and one rebound in 17 lackluster minutes against Texas Tech.

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com