SAN ANTONIO — All Derrick Rose and Memphis were missing was a trapeze.

The star freshman showed off his dazzling array of signature moves, and UCLA could do little but watch. Flying from all angles, the Tigers took their show to a new level today, romping 78-63 to reach the NCAA championship game.

Rose wasn't content to merely make shots, he wanted to stamp this Final Four as his own with a series of show-stoppers. It became an NBA audition in likely his final college weekend as he helped Memphis (38-1) set the major college basketball record for wins in a season.

Rose put up lefty floaters and righty scoops, often changing hands in mid-air, and threw one try over his shoulder. He was in perpetual motion — once, he caught a pass in traffic, stutter-stepped just long enough to look his defender in the eye, and then sped past him for an easy but showy layup.

"I just try to attack when I get the ball and hopefully jump over them and shoot," he said.

UCLA star Kevin Love put on his own show at practice Friday, hitting a full-court shot. He managed just 12 points — and missed both open 3-pointers — as the Bruins (35-4) again fell short in their third straight Final Four appearance.

"I'm very proud of this group of kids," Howland said. "Even though it's disappointing to get here for a third year and not win a championship, I'm still proud of these kids."

All season, this team from lightly regarded Conference USA played along with coach John Calipari's us-against-the-world theme. Now, the Tigers need only to beat Kansas for their first championship.

Rose finished with 25 points and nine rebounds and a bunch of eye-opening moves that won't show up in the final box.

Rose also hit 11 of 12 free throws. For a team supposedly vulnerable from the foul line, the Tigers did great in making 20 of 23.

He fittingly wound up with the ball in the final seconds and heaved it high. Only then did he crack the slightest of smiles.

Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 28 points for Memphis, and Joey Dorsey had the most surprising line of all — zero points, but 15 big rebounds in keeping Love out of the middle.

"It's great, it's great," the All-American guard said. "We all believe in each other and we expect great things to happen, so this isn't new to us."

Memphis has won its five games in this NCAA tournament by an average of nearly 16 points. The Tigers got off to a slower start this time, falling behind 5-0, before their suddenly chic "dribble drive motion" offense took over.

Memphis led 50-45 with 13› minutes left before pulling away. Rose made a couple of nifty passes, Dorsey came up with a monster block and later playfully popped Douglas-Roberts on the shoulder after a slam.

This was certainly no repeat of 1973, when the Tigers — then known as Memphis State — got routed 87-66 by UCLA in the title game. Bill Walton hit 21 of 22 shots and scored a record 44 points that night. But the big man has hip and back problems and wasn't able to make it to the Alamodome. Fact is, the taller Bruins were in trouble the entire way.

Russell Westbrook led UCLA with 22 points.

The Tigers spent the whole season aiming at getting back to San Antonio. They lost to Ohio State on this same court last March in the regional final and adopted "Remember the Alamodome" as their motto this season.

In the first Final Four to feature four No. 1 seeds, Rose and Memphis cruised while Love could do little to stop them.

The star freshmen needed no introduction. Rose and Love have played with and against each other since seventh grade, and the UCLA center reintroduced himself late in the first half, giving his old pal a hard shoulder on a solid screen.

The first half featured a series of bursts and ended with Memphis leading 38-35.

Josh Shipp ended his shooting slump with a pair of early 3s that put UCLA ahead. Memphis, which never trailed in trouncing Texas to reach the Final Four, struck back as Douglas-Roberts hit his first four shots.

Then it was time for Rose to take over.

UCLA coach Ben Howland stood the whole game, occasionally bumping into an official as he called out defenses. He kept shouting "Up! Up!" at his team, trying to cut down on open looks to no avail.

The UCLA band and cheerleaders broke out their Beach Boys medley midway through the first half. Love's uncle, Mike, is an original member of the surfin' group and a big fan — he played a show Friday night in London and couldn't make it to this game.

The Tigers mascot came out wearing a shirt with "Joey Dorsey for Mayor" on the front. Once the game began, the Memphis big man became Calipari's candidate to yell at, with the coach twice hollering at Dorsey for missing defensive switches.

Dorsey was the only senior Memphis had on the floor. Backup guard Andre Allen was suspended this week for violating team rules, and several players wrote his No. 15 on their shoes.