European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 29, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday March 29 2007 stars and stripes Page 31 Afflalo seeks better final outcome by John Nadel the associated press los Angeles Arron Afflalo is getting just what he wanted another shot at Florida the Urcla Star has vivid memo Ries of the gators 7357 Victory Over the Bruins in the Mcaa championship game last Spring and they Arent pleasant it was horrible not the game it self but the thought of losing Afflalo said monday on a Confer ence Call winners and people who do things special Are never forgotten second est is not Good enough it was very painful that night even a year later Afflalo Doest appear to see the upside concerning what his team accomplished on its first trip to the final four since 1995 i hate to lose and i like to win i hate losing More than i like win Ning he said in very competitive when it comes to a lot of things but especially basketball no one was Happy with the season we had last year especially with the Effort in that last game the Bruins 305 and gators 335 meet again saturday this time in the National semifinals at the Georgia dome in Atlanta after Ohio state 343 faces Georgetown the winners play monday night for the Champion ship now that its Here its a great thing Afflalo said of playing Florida again it gives us a Chance to kill two Birds with one Stone in a sense a Chance at re Venge and moving toward the championship obviously to play the team that beat you in the championship game adds a Little incentive a Little motivation for you hopefully we feed off that As a team and use that to our advantage Bruins coach Ben Rowland said his team played its Best game of the season in beating Kansas hit was horrible not the game itself but the thought of losing winners and people who do things special Are never forgotten second est is not Good enough 6855 to reach the final four we have to play better be cause were playing the Best team in the country he said of Satur Days matchup its going to be very difficult we have to take it to a new level to have a Chance to Advance the gators have All five Start ers Back from last year and All Are averaging in double figures there especially dominant in Side with a front line of Joakim Noah Al Hor Ford and Corey Brewer floor general Taurean Green and three Point specialist Lee Humphrey Man the outside what Treyve done All year with the Bullseye squarely on their Chest All year is Amaz ing Rowland said i think there definitely better than they were a year ago then again the Bruins might be too i Hope so we should be How land said were More experienced with players who have been Here now for their Sec Ond or third years we still dont have a senior hopefully were a Little tougher than we were a year ago the experience of a year ago helped us All year Long in Afflalo and Sophomore Dar Ren Collison the Bruins have one of the country Best backcourt Forward Josh Shipp and backup Michael Roll give them additional perimeter threats with Lorenzo Mata Luc Richard mbah a moute and Reserve Alfred Aboya Supply ing strength on the inside the Bruins Lead with defense having held their four tournament opponents to an average of 50 Points per game last year they held three of their first five opponents to 45 Points or less but the gators scored 36 in the first half while taking an 11point Lead we just have to do a better Job of being focused at that end More aggressive Afflalo said adding Arron Afflalo Urcla basketball player Marcio Jose Duclas Arron Afflalo reacts to a Basket in the second half against Kan Sas during the West regional final in san Jose calf saturday Afflalo is still stinging from last years toss to Florida in the championship the Bruins were a Little passive on defense against the gators last year Howland called Noah and Hor Ford the Best Bigman tandem on the same team that i can remember and that was just the begin Ning they really dont have any weaknesses Howland said i think All their players have improved they shoot 40 percent on threes in my mind that like shooting 60 percent from twos they outboard their opponents by eight per game which is out standing they have inside game out Side game shooting they have an outstanding Bench and there very very Well coached there the no 1 Overall seed in the tournament for a Good reason Howland said he watched film of last years us Lafloria game on sunday and what did he see just that we were dominated Howland replied it was hard to watch we were not very Good and they were very Good the Bruins have won 11 Mcaa championships in 16 previous appearances at the final four both Are Al time bests we will be the underdog Howland said Well be the Road team More than anybody in sure  be Many times More Gator fans there than our fans its a lot harder when you cant drive there its just harder when youre playing this far away and he might have added sweeter if you get the Job done Mcaa tournament opening round March 13 Niagara 77 Florida 69 East regional first round March 1516 Boston College 84 Texas tech 75 Georgetown 80 Belmont 55 Michigan state 61 Marquette 49 North Carolina 86 Eastern Kentucky 65 Washington state 70 Oral Roberts 54 Vanderbilt 77 George Washington 44 Texas 79 new Mexico state 67 Southern California 77 Arkansas 60 second round March 1718 Georgetown 62 Boston College 55 North Carolina 81 Michigan state 67 Vanderbilt 78 Washington state 7420t Southern California 87 Texas 68 regional semifinals March 23 Georgetown 66 Vanderbilt 65 North Carolina 74 Southern California 64 regional championship March 25 Georgetown 96 North Carolina 84 of South regional first round March 1516 Louisville 78 Stanford 58 Texas 68 Pennsylvania 52 state 78 Central Conn state 57 Xavier 79 Brigham Young 77 Virginia 84 Albany by 57 Tennessee 121 Long Beach state 86 Memphis 73 North Texas 58 Nevada 77 Creighton 71 of second round March 1718 Ohio state 78 Xavier 71 of Texas 72 Louisville 69 Tennessee 77 Virginia 74 Memphis 78 Nevada 62 regional semifinals March 22 Memphis 65 Texas 64 Ohio state 85 Tennessee 84 regional championship March 24 Ohio state 92memphis 76 Midwest regional first round March 1516 Maryland 82 Davidson 70 Butler 57 old Dominion 46 univ 67 Georgia tech 63 Wisconsin 76 Texas 63 Winthrop 74 notre Dame 64 Oregon 58 Miami Ohio 56 Purdue 72 Arizona 63 Florida 112 Jackson state 69 second round March 1718 Butler 62 Maryland 59 univ 74 Wisconsin 68 Oregon 75 Winthrop 61 Florida 74 Purdue 67 regional semifinals March 23 Florida 65 Butler 57 Oregon 76 univ 72 regional championship March 25 Florida 85 Oregon 77 West regional first round March 1516 Virginia Commonwealth 79 Duke 77 Pittsburgh 79 Wright state 58 Urcla 70 Weber state 42 Indiana 70 Gonzaga 57 Kansas 107 Niagara 67 Kentucky 67 Villanova 58 Virginia tech 54 Illinois 52 Southern Illinois 61 holy Cross 51 second round March 1718 Pittsburgh 84 a Commonwealth 79 of Urcla 54 Indiana 49 Southern Illinois 63 Virginia tech 48 Kansas 88 Kentucky 76 regional semifinals March 22 Kansas 61 Southern Illinois 58 Urcla 64 Pittsburgh 55 regional championship March 24 Urcla 68 Kansas 55 final four at Atlanta National semifinals saturday March 31 Ohio state 343 is Georgetown 306 Florida 335 is Urcla 305 National championship monday april 2 arc Ess on the 2007 Edge up to exclusive ends hurry in to Exchange new car sales to take advantage of these offer ends As of mint Date and Are us blurt to  All if regulations of any Federal slate of Loal of item Agency vehicles shown Are for illustration Only and May contain optional equipment available at additional Cost All programs and guarantees Ait subject to terms and conditions visit wow Enaco or see your sales pres Watjus for can Pleat details Wowen Iscom authorized Independent distributor to i aimed