Spear Daddy's Sunday Fl/Nova Take

[Spearit]

"One edge Florida will have is down low,” says Merril. “`Nova doesn’t get many points down low, not with their four-guard lineup. Florida can contain them there.”

Known more for their speed than size, the Gators have no problem hanging around the paint. Florida held Georgetown’s towers of doom, 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert and 6-foot-9 Brandon Bowman, to 10 points apiece in Friday’s win. The Hoyas did grab 13 offensive rebounds, but turned those into only four second chance points.

Because the Wildcats lack size and have problems going inside, they rely heavily on their outside shooting and take higher-percentage shots. The Wildcats shot just 21 percent (7-for-25) from 3-point land against the Eagles and could be in trouble against Florida’s perimeter defense. The Gators are holding opponents to 32.8 percent from beyond the arc.

“Florida has good Transition basketball. They get back on defense pretty quick,” says Merril. “So even though the pace of play will be pretty high, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be scoring.”

[Spark]

Just adding info folks- too dang biased to be saying anything else. Let the bashing commense.-
Ya just gotta love March Madness!!!!!



Great attitude Spear ... Thats why we love you being here ...

[Spearit]

Thanx Spark----

While this year`s Wildcats look virtually identical to the team that ousted the favored Gators last year, Florida (30-6) couldn`t be much different.

Anthony Roberson, Matt Walsh and David Lee are all gone from that team. In their stead, a group of mature, but unseasoned, sophomores have turned the Gators into overachievers, for a change.

``This year, we`re taking a different approach. Basically I think that we are the hunted and they`re coming after us,`` said `Nova guard Randy Foye, who scored 29 points in Friday`s win over Boston College. ``But they`re a great team. Even though they lost Matt Walsh, Roberson and Lee, they`re still a great team. The younger guys that they have have stepped up.``

Sophs Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Taurean Green and Al Horford all have emerged to bring Florida back to the brink of its first Final Four since playing in the national championship game in 2000.

``I would say that our basketball team is totally different,`` coach Billy Donovan said. ``Every guy on our team is playing a completely different role than they did a year ago.``

Noah, a 6-foot-11 center from New York by way of France, has been the rock. He had 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in Friday night`s win over seventh-seeded Georgetown.

Both teams love to get out and run and should be eager to do so after being stymied in the round of 16. BC slowed the pace to a crawl in an overtime loss to Villanova.

Georgetown did the same against Florida, but Brewer`s three-point play and Horford`s two free throws with 7 seconds lifted the Gators.

``It`s going to be an up-and-down game,`` Brewer said. ``That`s what we like to do, run up and down the court, so we are going to have a good time.``

After BC`s size and muscle forced Villanova to ditch its vaunted four-guard lineup, the Wildcats are looking forward to putting their racing slicks on again for Sunday.

``We definitely both like to run down the court,`` Allan Ray said. ``It`s not like BC, where they like to slow the game down. It`s definitely going to be up and down. That`s the style of play that we like to play.``

When Wright first installed that small lineup, the basketball purist in him cringed.

``It looked ridiculous,`` Wright said. ``Honestly, I am sitting on the sideline saying, `We look like idiots.` Especially when they would go up and get an offensive rebound, or Randy would pick up a foul guarding (6-foot-9 North Carolina forward) Jawad Williams.``

As the wins started to pile up, the offense has grown on him.

``There are some positives to this,`` Wright said. ``It is creating problems for the other team, too. So we have hung with it. It gets us by. I am not making any videos on it, I will tell you that.``

If those four guards carry the Cats back to the Final Four, he won`t have to. There will be plenty of others who will do that work for him.

[Spearit]

Gators are 3-0-0 ATS in their last 3 NCAA Tournament games.
Gators are 3-0-0 ATS in their last 3 neutral site games.
Gators are 3-0-0 ATS in their last 3 games following a S.U. win.
Gators are 3-0-0 ATS in their last 3 games overall.
Gators are 3-0-0 ATS in their last 3 vs. Big East.
Gators are 10-1-0 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.
Gators are 4-1-0 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.
Gators are 4-1-0 ATS in their last 5 afternoon games.

[Spearit]

Wildcats are 16-5-0 ATS in their last 21 Sunday games.
Wildcats are 1-4-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.
Wildcats are 0-3-0 ATS in their last 3 NCAA Tournament games.
Wildcats are 0-4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
Wildcats are 0-3-0 ATS in their last 3 games following a S.U. win.
Wildcats are 0-4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite.
Wildcats are 0-3-0 ATS in their last 3 non-conference games.
Wildcats are 0-3-0 ATS in their last 3 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite.
Wildcats are 0-4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games as a favorite.
Wildcats are 0-4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Wildcats are 0-3-0 ATS in their last 3 games following a ATS loss.

[Spearit]

Lets bow our heads

Lord - we come before you as gamblers and capper wannabe's.
We search hopelessly for a savior in our times of money matters.
We ask that -as you have files and notes on us and our behavior.
That the trends will be as true and that you will provide us your favor.
Amen. (Gator Prayer)

[Spearit]

Playing against one of the tougher scoring defenses in the nation, and one that was flying under the radar compared to the other elite programs from the Big East Conference, the Gators were not fully prepared for how well Georgetown was going to control the pace of the game on Friday night. After trailing by a point (53-52) with almost two minutes to play in the second half, Corey Brewer responded for Florida by converting a three-point play with just under 28 seconds remaining, giving the Gators the cushion they needed in order to pick up the four-point win. Brewer, who was a perfect 3-of-3 at the free-throw line, finished with nine points for the Gators who outscored the Hoyas at the charity stripe 14-6 on the night. Having another stellar all- around effort was Joakim Noah who posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with his game-high five blocks as well. Taurean Green and Al Horford, the latter sealing the victory with a pair of late free throws, added 13 and 12 points, respectively. The Florida defense turned the tables on the Hoyas somewhat, holding the 23rd-ranked team in the nation to just 5-of-21 shooting beyond the arc and 38.9 percent from the floor overall in the decision. Aside from an awkward 49-47 victory over South Carolina during the SEC Tournament, the 57 points for the Gators were the fewest scored this season.

Trying to take advantage of their outside shooting, while also avoiding the big men in the paint for Boston College, the Wildcats tried as they may to make something happen from out on the perimeter in the first few minutes of the first half, but it just wasn't meant to be. Villanova, which liberally made substitutions that outnumbered BC's almost 10-to-1, found itself trailing 9-0 to start and was then behind by 16 points moments later. The squad put together a 13-1 run late and narrowed the deficit at the break to just four. A see-saw battle in the second half resulted in the squads heading to overtime where, with three seconds remaining, the Wildcats in-bounded under their own basket to a wide-open Will Sheridan who converted the layup (on a goaltending call) for the eventual game-winner. Sheridan, who cleared a team-high seven rebounds, had just two baskets on the night, while Randy Foye was the only player to hit for double figures for the Wildcats with 29 points. Allan Ray finished with a mere nine points as he shot a dismal 3-of-15 from the floor and combined with Foye to knock down a meager 4-of-17 beyond the arc.

Villanova as a team made just 21.1 percent from three-point range and 35 percent from the floor overall. In addition to forcing 21 turnovers in the outing, the Wildcats also took advantage of Boston College and its ineffectiveness at the free-throw line (8-of-17).

If the Wildcats come out flat from the perimeter again today, an athletic Florida program is not going to allow them to get off as easily as they did against Boston College. Villanova will need all its guards to be sharp in order to counter the play of Noah.

Predicted Outcome: Villanova 68, Florida 64

[Spearit]

Thank you Florida..........

[STaylor36]

Good call with Florida but frankly I didn't really think they looked any good.

Villanova just couldn't make a shot to save their lives. I've never seen a shooting performance that pathetic.

[Spearit]

Good call with Florida but frankly I didn't really think they looked any good.

Villanova just couldn't make a shot to save their lives. I've never seen a shooting performance that pathetic.

Nova was clearly done in by Boston College- their shooting has been like this under 30% but they found a way to win and thought this would be the case tonight. Sorry about your loss!

[Spearit]

Spearit I agree totally...everyone on this board is counting UF out...they have every aspect they need...defense, offense, IQ i could def. see an all SEC championship game LSU vs. UF GO GATORS

Gotta Love the Madness SDan!!!

[Three Jack]

Good call with Florida but frankly I didn't really think they looked any good.

Villanova just couldn't make a shot to save their lives. I've never seen a shooting performance that pathetic.

You obviously missed the Nova/BC game. Still not sure how they won that.

As a grad of Nova, class of '90, congrats Spear. I too thought Nova would win by 8-10 pts. Wasn't disrecting FLA, but they weren't briging anything that we hadn't seen. Having played UConn twice, BC, G'town, Texas and others, I am shocked at how well the FLA front line played. Yes, we go 4 guards, but we go hard and rarely get out played up front...but today was a different story. FLA has a nice front line, but no better than the others we have played and only UCONN, in the second half of the second game, beat us...until today. GL NEXST WEEK.

[jhedrick]

Congrats Spearit, UF completely outplayed Nova all day. Noah is a stud and the rest of the cast is talented as well...

You should be headed to Indy this weekend!?!?!?!

[Spearit]

You obviously missed the Nova/BC game. Still not sure how they won that.

As a grad of Nova, class of '90, congrats Spear. I too thought Nova would win by 8-10 pts. Wasn't disrecting FLA, but they weren't briging anything that we hadn't seen. Having played UConn twice, BC, G'town, Texas and others, I am shocked at how well the FLA front line played. Yes, we go 4 guards, but we go hard and rarely get out played up front...but today was a different story. FLA has a nice front line, but no better than the others we have played and only UCONN, in the second half of the second game, beat us...until today. GL NEXST WEEK.

Thank You Three Jack- Your Nova Team took us out last year in the tournament. Nova was prime for the upset with such a tough game with BC. So hopefully George Mason will be prime for a whipping as well after a lot of energy expended against UConn..

Jared- Can't go to Indy- Meeting up with you on your way in to town Wednesday. I have faith the Gators get to the Championship Game!

[ham]

I was on the gators too...they had heart.something Uconn never had...and I thought they might today