The good news: Three straight trips to the Final Four.

The bad news: Three consecutive ousters via butt-kicking.

Time for UCLA coach Ben Howland to reconsider his approach to team-building. Because his Bruins are good enough to get close … but clearly not good enough to navigate past the truly elite teams.

Says who?

Says Florida 73, UCLA 57, April 3, 2006.

Says Florida 76, UCLA 66, March 31, 2007

Says Memphis 78, UCLA 63, April 5, 2008.

The Bruins were uncompetitive in all three games. Not just beaten … but beaten down.

The issues they must address are these:

1. Recruit some competent big men, and I am certainly NOT talking about Luc Mbah a Moute or Alfred Aboya, who stunk up all three games. Or Lorenzo Mata-Real (ditto, in three tries), or Ryan Hollins, the 7-footer who disappeared in the 2006 Florida game. Kevin Love is more like it, but the freshman was defended into oblivion by Memphis and, as usual, had no interior help. Howland needs to show up at one of these Final Fours with at least two real talents who play in the paint. He hasn’t yet.

2. Recruit some guards with size. UCLA’s fast but dinky back court, particularly Jordan Farmar (in 2006) and Darren Collison (2006-08) have been overwhelmed by bigger opponents who are just as athletic as they are. Collison, in particular, has been exposed as frail, and prone to disintegrating against size. The junior was annihilated by Memphis freshman Derrick Rose on Saturday. Of course, he shouldn’t have been matched against Rose in the first place. It was like putting Derek Fisher on LeBron James.

3. Develop an offense. You know, plays and stuff. Ben Howland loves loves loves defense, and the Bruins are good at it, when they don’t get physically overpowered — as they were in the three games mentioned (above). What killed them in all three games was the ongoing UCLA issues with any sort of structured attack of their own, any real ability to get out on transition and run against an equally skilled team — and an ability to execute against quality athletes.

UCLA’s offense today was invisible. Memphis swarmed Love, denying him the ball (12 points on only 11 shots), Collison couldn’t get an open three nor get into the lane … and there went your 2007-08 UCLA offense. Josh Shipp carried his two-month slump right through the end of the season (3-for-9, nine points), which was fatal. Even with Russell Westbrook essentially free-lancing his way to 22 points, keeping the game from being an absolute rout.

Which reminds me, I have issues with Howland.

I know, criticizing Ben is almost as verboten, among UCLA fans, as is second-guessing Pete Carroll among Trojans … but he has some fairly major flaws. Beyond being able to recruit size and not installing an offense. He also is prone to being out-coached. I’ve said it before (see, USC 72, UCLA 63, Jan. 19) … Howland seems incapable of mid-game adjustments. He and the Bruins show up and do what they do, and if it doesn’t unfold in a familiar way … they just go to pieces. And Howland seems unable to stanch the bleeding.

In theory, UCLA’s whole team, the oafish Mata-Real aside, could return.

In reality, Love is going to the NBA, Collison almost certainly will, even though his NBA draft status took a beating with two execrable performances in high-profile games (four points on 1-of-6 shooting, five fouls, one assist, four turnovers in the Sweet 16; two points on 1-of-9 shooting, five fouls, four assists, five turnovers in the Final Four) and Westbrook might.

That leaves Howland with the Cameroonian clods (Mbah a Moute and Aboya, finally seniors next fall), the harmless Shipp, a couple of role-players from the current team (James Keefe, Michael Roll) and an incoming class of recruits with only one forward — 6-9 Drew Gordon, who better be really, really good.

As it looks now, the Bruins will be Team Mallomar (oh, so soft in the middle) again next year. Their overall quickness and maniacal defense might carry them through the Pac-10 again, and maybe even a round or two of the playoffs. But unless the Kameroon Kids suddenly discover some game … it’s hard to imagine next year’s Bruins getting even this far.

Which is just as well, because their fans must be tired of seeing them abused and excused on the final weekend of the season by truly elite teams. That’s three seasons of raised hopes for raising NCAA banner No. 12 … and three seasons of getting their fannies paddled all the way back to Pauley.