SAN ANTONIO -- So you think UCLA coach Ben Howland and his Bruins took a pretty good beating from Memphis Saturday night?

That 78-63 defeat was nothing compared to the whipping Howland faced when he got back to Southern California yesterday.

In Los Angeles, many are questioning Howland's coaching priorities after the Bruins came up short against a more athletic team for the third consecutive year at the Final Four. Inquiring minds want to know: Can a defense-first coach win a national title? Can a structured, micro-managed team compete against teams with better talent on the game's biggest stage? And why can't Howland recruit higher-caliber players?

Sounds a lot like the same questions a lot of people are asking of Jamie Dixon, Howland's successor as the Pitt coach, doesn't it?

"Those kind of questions suggest [Memphis] had better players," Howland said. "We have really good players, too. We just didn't perform well. I see no need for sweeping changes."

Memphis coach John Calipari compared Chris Douglas-Roberts, who had 28 points against UCLA, to former NBA great Earl "The Pearl" Monroe. "When his motor runs, it's ridiculous. You can't stop him."

Douglas-Roberts on why he has two last names: "I guess both my parents, who are still married, knew that I was going to be something big. My dad didn't want to give up his name and neither did my mom. So they just gave me both."

Calipari has spoken repeatedly of how proud he is that 15 of the past 17 Memphis players who have finished their eligibility have received their degrees. But it's safe to say he'll be most thrilled when senior forward Joey Dorsey gets his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.

"He's like a son, this kid," Calipari said. "Now, he's done some of the dumbest things over the four years we've been there. But, you know what, he's grown. He's come into his own. He's the first high school graduate in his family and he's going to be five classes away from a college degree when the year ends. I want you to think about that. The first high school graduate in his family. This kid has come so far."

Said Dorsey, "Everyone back home thought I would be the first one to get kicked off the team ... It will be great to walk across the stage and get my degree."

Count North Carolina coach Roy Williams among those who think Kansas has the defense that can slow the high-powered Memphis offense. In their 84-66 win against Williams' Tar Heels Saturday night, the Jayhawks limited North Carolina to 35.8 percent shooting, including just 5 of 24 3-point shots. They also outrebounded the Tar Heels, 42-33.

"Defensively, they're marvelous athletes," Williams said. "If it were an athletic contest, it would not have been as close as it was ...

"They're just a fantastic club, a club which, in my mind, has no weaknesses."

Kansas assistant Danny Manning is keeping a low profile despite being named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday, his purpose to avoid drawing attention from the Kansas players. It's a shame because Manning has quite a story to tell. He's one of the great players in Final Four history.

In 1988, when Kansas won its most recent national title, Manning had 25 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 6 blocks in a 66-59 win against Duke in the national semifinals. He trumped that performance in the Jayhawks' 83-79 win against Oklahoma in the title game with 31 points, 18 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks.

"What you have to understand about Danny is that he couldn't care less about any of that," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "He has no ego. I mean, none."