Long memories

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2008 | by David Leon Moore

LOS ANGELES -- Nothing motivates the UCLA Bruins more heading into another NCAA basketball tournament than remembering heading home from the last two Final Fours.

Both times, the Bruins ran into talent-laden Florida -- in the title game two years ago, in a national semifinal last year.

Both times, the Bruins boarded the plane home without a championship trophy.

"I can speak for the whole team," UCLA junior point guard Darren Collison says. "Anybody who experienced those plane rides back after losing to Florida ... let's just say we'll definitely use that as motivation."

Actually, Collison can't speak for the whole team, which is 31-3, the Pacific-10 regular-season and tournament champ and the No. 1 seed in the West Regional going into...