Conference Pacific-10 Conference AP No. 3 | Coaches No. 4 2007–08 record 35–4 (16–2 Pac-10) | |
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The 2007–08 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team was a college sports team representing the University of California, Los Angeles in the Pacific-10 Conference for the 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. In his fifth year as head coach, Ben Howland led the team to its third straight Final Four appearance. The Bruins also set a new record number of wins for the regular season, eclipsing the 26 wins of 2006–07. Though the team is composed of many standout players, freshman center Kevin Love garnered much of the media's and school's attention with his .565 shooting percentage, 10.7 rebounds per game, 5.3 blocks, and 17.6 points per game.
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The only losses the Bruins incurred during the regular season were to No. 8 Texas, and Pac-10 rivals USC and Washington, though the USC victory was later vacated upon discovery that USC player OJ Mayo received illegal benefits while playing for USC. After becoming the Pacific-10 regular season champions and winning the Pacific-10 tournament, the Bruins were seeded No. 1 in the West Regional bracket of the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. In the first round of the NCAA tournament, the Bruins held Mississippi Valley State to 29 points, the lowest total ever allowed in the first or second round of the tournament. After reaching the Final Four for the third year in a row, the Bruins lost to Memphis, the South Regional Champions, though this win was also later vacated as the result of NCAA rules violations.
On August 20, 2009, Memphis' 38 wins during the 2007–2008 season and Final Four appearances were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions for the team's using an ineligible player- Derrick Rose
On January 3, 2010, USC's 20 regular season wins during the 2007–2008 season were vacated by USC Athletics for the team's using an ineligible player.
Roster
Thirteen scholarships were available to the team, and there were sixteen players on the roster. Kevin Love received permission from Walt Hazzard to wear the No. 42 he wore as player for UCLA. Hazzard's jersey had been retired by UCLA in 1996.
Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.
After the season, three members of the team were picked to play in the NBA. Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook were selected as lottery picks in Draft, with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute going in the early second round:
Schedule and results
The UCLA Bruins played 31 regular season games, including 18 straight Pac-10 games from January 3 to March 8.
Awards
Pac-10 Player of the Year
Kevin LovePac-10 Freshman of the Year
Kevin LovePac-10 Defensive Player of the Year
Russell WestbrookAll-Pac-10 first team
Kevin LoveAll-Pac-10 second team
Darren CollisonAll-Pac-10 third team
Russell WestbrookPac-10 All-Defensive team
Darren CollisonRussell WestbrookKevin Love (honorable mention)Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (honorable mention)Pac-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Darren CollisonPac-10 All-Tournament Team
Kevin LoveRussell WestbrookU.S. Basketball Writers Association First Team All-America
Kevin LoveOscar Robertson Trophy nominee
Kevin LoveU.S. Basketball Writers Association District IX Player of the Year
Kevin LoveU.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District IX team
Kevin LoveDarren CollisonPac-10 Men's Basketball Player of the Week
Kevin Love – November 19–25Kevin Love – January 7–13Kevin Love – January 21–27Darren Collison – February 12–18