Last dance for Florida's dream team?

When Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah announced they were coming back to Florida after last season, they were heralded as unselfish.

If they decided to stay another year, they might be considered foolish.

That's why the Final Four probably will be the final run for coach Billy Donovan's dream team. Brewer, Horford and Noah are expected to turn pro after the season, breaking up the best team in school history and arguably one of the best in the college basketball in recent years.

"We're just trying to finish out strong and then we'll let the fans know and everybody else know what the deal is," Brewer said. "If we go out, we hope we go out with a national title."

The Gators (33-5) are trying to become the first team in 15 years to win consecutive national championships. They play UCLA (30-5) in the semifinals Saturday night in Atlanta, a rematch of last year's title game.

Brewer, Horford and Noah combined for 41 points, 23 rebounds, 10 assists, nine blocks and four steals in the 73-57 victory over the Bruins in Indianapolis last April.

Many thought the three sophomores would turn pro a few days later, and probably end up as NBA lottery picks. But they surprised everyone by announcing in a choreographed skit at the team's championship celebration that they would be back to try to make history.

It may have been an easy decision for Noah and Horford because of their family situations; both grew up with money because their fathers were professional athletes.

It was much more difficult for Brewer, whose dad farmed 100 acres of tobacco and soybeans in Portland, Tenn., and also moonlighted as a garbage collector in order to provide for what the family needed.

All the hard work might have taken a toll, too. Brewer's father, Ellis "Pee Wee" Brewer, had open-heart surgery and three angioplasties in recent years. He also had a leg amputated in October because of complications from diabetes.

"It was a tough decision," Brewer said about returning. "We could take care of our families, but we decided why not come back for another year and enjoy each other because we might not ever play together again."

Collison more than

an adequate replacement

UCLA fans were in mourning last June when Jordan Farmar, the Bruins' outstanding point guard, passed up his final two years of eligibility to turn professional.

With the emergence of Darren Collison, memories of Farmar, who's mostly sitting and watching as a rookie with the Los Angeles Lakers, have faded.

"Jordan was very good. Darren has some natural athleticism, some natural quickness, that allows him to do some things for our team that we couldn't do last year," said UCLA coach Ben Howland. "Because of that, our team has really flourished."

Collison has been especially effective in UCLA's march to the Final Four, averaging 13.8 points and doing an exceptional job of hawking the opposition's backcourt players in four NCAA tournament games.

UCLA leads with its defense - one of the nation's best - and Collison is an extremely important ingredient in that regard.

"Darren's probably a better on-ball defender than Jordan," Howland said.

Collison played in all 39 games for the Bruins last year, averaging 5.5 points, 2.3 assists and 0.9 steals. The 6-foot-1 sophomore from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., averaged 12.8 points, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals this season.

"Last year, I was providing energy off the bench, and I did absolutely what it took to help the team win, in whatever aspect," Collison said. "This year, I have a much bigger responsibility and a much bigger role.

"I've got to be more mature in how to approach situations. I am an extension of the coach. That's a big leadership role. I've got to make sure everybody's doing their job."