Bottom 10 moments of the year

1. MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS SHORT OF 12TH TITLE

With the addtion of freshman center Kevin Love, the return of point guard Darren Collison and a roster full of players with Final Four experience, many felt the 2007-2008 season was UCLA’s best shot in recent years to hang banner No. 12 in the rafters of Pauley Pavilion. For much of the season, the Bruins lived up to the hype, winnning the Pac-10 title, the Pac-10 Tournament and earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. San Antonio, however, did not prove as welcoming, and the Bruins fell 78-63 to Memphis, which dominated for much of the game, ending UCLA’s bid for a record 12th title.

2. KEVIN LOVE AND RUSSELL WESTBROOK DECLARE FOR THE DRAFT

In a set of decisions many expected, UCLA center Kevin Love and guard Russell Westbrook announced that they’d leave Westwood to test the NBA Draft waters on April 17. Love, an All-American who wowed crowds with laser outlet passes, and Westbrook, whose professional stock soared with every spectacular dunk, helped lead UCLA to a third straight Final Four.

3. FOOTBALL LOSES AT ‘SC

While USC coach Pete Caroll clenched a rose between his teeth, former UCLA coach Karl Dorrell stared blankly ahead, surrounded by security, and walked out of the Coliseum for the last time. The Bruins’ 24-7 loss, in which UCLA totaled only 168 wards of offense, dropped the Bruins to 6-6 and spelled the end for Dorrell. With the loss, UCLA added another disappointing moment to a season in which the Bruins were once ranked as high as No. 11.

4. BASEBALL DROPS OUT OF TOP 25 AFTER STARTING AS PRESEASON NO. 1

In late January, Baseball America tabbed UCLA as the No. 1 team in all of collegiate baseball. The Bruins backed that claim by winning six of their first seven games to open the season on a positive note. Then coach John Savage’s team began to fall in the polls, thanks in large part to injuries and inconsistent play in the nation’s toughest schedule. A series loss to crosstown rival USC dropped the Bruins from the top 25 for good in early April, marking the low point in a frustrating season.

5. WOMEN’S SOCCER LOSES TO USC IN NCAA SEMIFINAL

After a stellar and dominating first half in which the Bruins outshot and out-possessed the Trojans, UCLA let a 1-0 halftime lead over rival USC slip away and lost 2-1 in the College Cup. The loss marked the fifth straight year the Bruins had advanced as far as the semifinals only to come home without a national championship.

6. FOOTBALL LOSES 20-6 TO WINLESS NOTRE DAME

After suffering through a heartbreaking defeat in South Bend, Ind., at the hands of the Fighting Irish the season prior, the Bruins aimed to take revenge at the Rose Bowl. Instead, winless Notre Dame stormed into Pasadena and earned its first victory of the season in an embarrassing performance for UCLA’s offense. In addition to losing the game, UCLA also lost junior starting quarterback Ben Olson to a knee injury in the first quarter. The mishap paved the way for walk-on redshirt freshman McLeod Bethel-Thompson to lead the offense, which sputtered under the inexperienced signal-caller, who threw four interceptions.

7. SOFTBALL LOSES AT WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

Bouncing back after a disappointing loss in the regional round of the 2007 Women’s College World Series, the UCLA softball team beat Gerogia in the Super Regionals to advance to Oklahoma City in pursuit of their 11th NCAA Championship. But after a win against Arizona, the Bruins were shut out in a 4-0 loss to Arizona State. Then, in an elimination game against No. 1 Florida, an early error and problems bunting led to a 2-0 loss and a plane ride back to Los Angeles.

8. BASKETBALL FALLS AT HOME TO ‘SC, TEXAS

Riding on the laurels of an undefeated home campaign in 2006-2007, UCLA’s men’s baskeball team had made Pauley Pavilion a daunting domain for opposing teams. In December, however, a talented Texas squad dominated the Bruins for much of the game before pulling out a thrilling 63-61 win. Most surprising, however, was crosstown rival USC’s victory on Nell and John Wooden Court in January, as Trojan freshman Davon Jefferson lit up the Bruin defense for 25 points.

9. MEN’S SOCCER ELIMINATED EARLY

Perennial contender UCLA was unable to live up to its top billing following their NCAA runner-up season in 2006. After squeaking by New Mexico in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, UCLA dropped a 3-1 desicion at Santa Clara, ending its season. Star midfielder and defender Chance Meyers, only a sophomore, then defected to Major League Soccer, becoming the No. 1 pick for the Kansas City Wizards.

10. MEN’S VOLLEYBALL DISAPPOINTS AGAIN

After a season filled with ups and downs, the men’s volleyball team found itself in the fortunate position of having home-court advantage in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs. Though they beat Pepperdine both times during the regular season, the Bruins fell at home to the Waves, ending their playoff hopes and senior libero Tony Ker’s quest for a second NCAA Championship in his career.

Complied by Daily Bruin senior staff.