Culver City Observer -

In Ben Howland’s nine years as the UCLA basketball coach there have been three Final Four appearances.

Howland took over a sagging program and restored it better than any of the other men who had tried to follow in the footsteps of the legendary John Wooden.

That’s why the current season was so disappointing. Not only did UCLA plunge to a fifth place finish in a very weak Pac-12 Conference it was the subject of a Sports Illustrated article detailing major problems in the program.

One journalist on a radio show I heard summed up the problem. “Howland recruited a bunch of knuckleheads,” the audience was told.

Now that UCLA hasn’t been selected to participate in either the NCAA or HIT tournaments the question can be asked “Can the program go even lower?

I don’t think so.

Howland has demonstrated throughout his head coaching career he knows what he’s doing. Some of his former players now in the NBA have praised him for instilling discipline. Some NBA people have observed that Bruin players do well professionally because they’re sound in fundamentals.

So what happened?

To me the problem is that an astonishing number of UCLA players turned pro early and as a result Howland lowered his standards to replace the talent.

I expected Kevin Love to join the NBA after one season. That’s how good he was, and now he’s an NBA all-star.

But the early departure of Russell Westbrook and Jrue Holiday came as not only a surprise but a major jolt.

Reeves Nelson, with a reputation for being rough on teammates in high school, was welcomed, and that was a gamble. This season Nelson was kicked off the team.

Joshua Smith was a talented center who weighed 300 pounds in high school. UCLA wasn’t getting the Alcindors or Waltons anymore and needed a center. So it gave Smith a scholarship and hoped he’d get his weight under control. He didn’t.

Jerime Anderson was a heralded recruit who had a so-so Bruin career.

Drew Gordon transferred to New Mexico.

I say the program won’t go any lower for one reason.

Howland has been assured he’ll return as the coach next season but only after having several meetings with Athletic Director Dan Guerrero and has been told the basketball program needs better management.

Translated, that means recruit better citizens or else. I think Howland will comply.

Recruiting, as always, is the key. The Bruins have talent coming in and some returnees from this team, namely the Wear twins, will be a year older and a year better.

But the Pac-12 was dreadful this season and it’s embarrassing that a Colorado team new to the league was able to win the conference tournament.

And equally embarrassing that Colorado and California were the conference’s only teams to receive an NCAA Tournament bid.

Washington became the first regular season winner of a major conference to ever fail to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, a former UCLA assistant, showed class in his reaction.

“Our conference didn’t do well in non-conference games and Washington didn’t win enough of them to impress the committee,’ he said.

“On selection day I was not optimistic.”

What happened to the Pac-12?

“Several teams had key injuries and early defection to the NBA was a big factor,” said Romar.

If it’s any consolation four PAC 12 teams, including Washington, were invited to the NIT.

UCLA was 19-14 but won’t play anymore this season.

The revamped Pauley Pavilion will open next season and UCLA will again have a home court. Things will be better. They have to be.