Eye surgery keeps father away

ATLANTA —  After UCLA had defeated Kansas last weekend to advance to its second consecutive Final Four, sophomore forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute -- who is from the West African nation of Cameroon -- said he was hopeful that for the first time in his UCLA career, his father, Camille Moute a Bidias, would come to see his son play.

That won’t be happening.

Moute a Bidias had eye surgery this week in Geneva.

“I’m not disappointed,” Mbah a Moute said. “I wanted him to come, for sure, but there will be other games my dad can come. The doctor told me he couldn’t come.”

Coach Ben Howland said Mbah a Moute’s father waited to tell his son about the surgery.

“He didn’t want his son to worry,” Howland said.

Mbah a Moute said he understood the surgery was minor.

Mbah a Moute said he would have one relative in attendance, his 24-year-old brother, Armel Minyem, who played basketball at Rider College in New Jersey. Mbah a Moute’s younger brother, Emmanuel Bidias a Moute, who just finished his freshman season at UC Santa Barbara, might also make it to Atlanta, according to the Gauchos athletic department.

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The question kept being asked of UCLA players Friday afternoon. How can they keep up with Florida?

While the Bruins get high marks for their man-to-man defense, they are also capable of playing up-tempo offense. “We like to get out and run when we can,” point guard Darren Collison said.

Or, as freshman Russell Westbrook answered, “I don’t think it matters. We can play slow. We can play fast. Any way you want, we can play. That’s what is good about this team.”

In UCLA’s last two NCAA games -- wins over Pittsburgh and Kansas -- Westbrook has made energizing on-the-run fast break dunks.

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Florida has won its last six games at the Georgia Dome -- including three three weeks ago when the Gators won the Southeastern Conference tournament. The Gators also won the 2005 SEC tournament at the Georgia Dome.

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Final Four teams all must conduct a public workout at the host facility, but most teams also hold a private, serious practice.

UCLA had its real practice at Emory University, courtesy of Betsy Stephenson, former UCLA associate athletic director and now director of athletics and recreation at Emory.

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According to UCLA’s tournament media guide, the Bruins are in a record-setting 17th NCAA Final Four, one ahead of North Carolina.

According to NCAA practice notes passed out at the Georgia Dome Friday, UCLA is playing in its record-tying 16th Final Four.

The discrepancy? UCLA’s 1980 appearance -- the Bruins lost to Louisville in the title game -- comes with an asterisk. The Bruins had to vacate their place in the title game retroactively because of NCAA violations that occurred under then-coach Larry Brown.

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UCLA’s backup sophomore center, Alfred Aboya and sophomore forward Ryan Wright also were named to the Pacific 10 Conference all-academic team.

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diane.pucin@latimes.com