73-57 Florida over UCLA

[alfredo]

Yeah!

[gristy]

1. Awesome game.

[alfredo]

6. Noah was fantastic. I knew Florida would win. UCLA was solid all

through the tourney, but Florida seemed really hungry, really focused. And like the rest of the SEC, they're young. Wait for next year. LSU is going to be terrific too.

[Broken_Hero]

7. awesome game?

Must be a Florida fan...:) Was a blow out, Florida out played them, and handed them their heads on a platter...pretty far from a good game, unless you are a florida fan...this tourney had a good handful of good games, but tonight(unless you are a florida fan) wasn't a good game...:)

[gristy]

13. Yeah, UCLA had their hat handed to them, but I thought they played

with a lot of heart and talent - in spite of the loss. And then there's Florida. Noah driving the lane... Double-digit blocks... Dunk after dunk after dunk. I had no favorite. I didn't even know who was playing until I turned it on at halftime. But it was a great game.

[Ignacio Upton]

2. Will this be an omen for Democrats in 2006?

Florida lost to Michigan St. in 2000 and the election got stolen be Katherine Harris. Do you think that the victory exercises the demons?

[Renew Deal]

3. Congrats to Florida!!!

They were the best team! :applause:

[KeepItReal]

4. Way to go S.E.C!!

:-)

I'd like to think LSU softened UCLA up for the gators...

[alfredo]

10. I heard talking heads saying the SEC was not that good this year.

Two teams in the final four? Weak MY ASS!!!

[the_real_38]

26. And my beloved Gamecocks won the NIT ..

.... after beating Florida twice in the regular season!

[alfredo]

29. some teams are like that. They do OK during the season, but then

kick it in for the tourney season. The past few years, UK was like that to some extent.

[Liberal_Dog]

5. A Marvelous Performance

And they should be the consensus #1 team at the beginning of next season also.

[BlooInBloo]

8. Fla dominated start to finish - congrats!

Noah's last year should be next - seems like a good bet to be player of the year as well.

[alfredo]

16. I can't wait for next season.

[alfredo]

22. I kept waiting for UCLA to make a big run, but it never came.

Their bench wasn't any help tonight. Noah took away their inside game, and there wasn't any good outside shooting until it was too late. Their full court pressure seemed to work near the end too, but again, too late.

[BlooInBloo]

24. Yup - not takin away from Fla, but UCLA didn't bring their A game

[alfredo]

30. I just seemed like the air went out of their game early on.

I was hoping for a close game.

[bluem]

9. Yeah!

Billy Donovan is a great coach who is usually forgotten about here (Gainesville is football, football, football). Glad to see him finally win!!!!

[Scurrilous]

14. Welcome to DU.

I wish I was in Gainesville tonight.:toast:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

27. GREAT coaching job by Donovan. He had his team ready, and they

played correctly to the situation through the whole game.

Went inside and dominated there when they could. Played GREAT defense against UCLA's many attempts at quick transition baskets, getting steals, charges, and blocked shots. Slowed the ball up appropriately when they had the big lead late, but DIDN'T GO INTO A MINDLESS SLOWDOWN and DIDN'T GIVE UP ON SCORING.

I liked the best when UCLA got a couple of quick buckets in transition and got it down to 16, and Donovan IMMEDIATELY called time out. So many times you see coaches let that go a little further, a couple more sloppy plays and UCLA's within 10, the Gators start to doubt, and the whole aura of control over the game vanishes and it becomes wide open. He nipped that right in the bud.

Did Noah declare his intention to stay or come out? Dude will be solid, big man who can handle the ball but plays inside, unlike Ralph Sampson, who never really figured out that, hey, it's cool that you're a seven footer who can dribble and shoot outside, but you should be scoring most of your points inside 15 feet. Dirk Nowitzki is still working that out.

[0007]

11. Argh!

[ellenfl]

12. GO GATORS!! eom

[devilgrrl]

15. I didn't even know it was on.

:blush:

Congratulations Florida! :toast:

[BlooInBloo]

18. What an empty meaningless existence your life must be....

... to miss the climax of March Madness...


LOL

(I'm teasing of course)

[RagingInMiami]

17. Congrats to the Gators

Who said we're only a football state?

[turbo_satan]

19. G-A-T-O-R-S

Fuck yeah! I've lived in Gainesville since 1983 and never thought I'd see this day. I'm actually enjoying this more than the 1996 football national championship. Any other Gators here?

[madfloridian]

20. I come from a family of Florida "Gators"....

though I went to Stetson. Brother, cousin, nephew, sister-in-law, son. Good gators all, and all very excited tonight.

[KyuzoGator]

21. CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP

Nothing more needs to be said.

It's great to be a Florida Gator!

[kentuck]

23. I knew they were for real when they came into Lexington and beat....

the Ky Wildcats convincingly near the end of the year. Yes, a few people do beat Ky at Lexington, but few do it convincingly. Florida did. Congratulations to the Gators !

[alfredo]

32. Rondo is going pro.

[Blue_Tires]

25. i didn't even care who won

and i still found it unwatchable...i turned to baseball

[leftofthedial]

28. they kicked they ass

[Awsi Dooger]

31. Congrats to the Gators

These were the arch rivals of my two favorite teams -- Miami and USC -- so I had very little enthusiasm with either as the victor. But the Gators were much the best.

I did manage to bet on the winner. The key factor, once again, was vulnerability. Florida never displayed any during the tournament, while UCLA was buried the entire game against Gonzaga only to escape by semi-fluke. You can't forget a result like that when handicapping matchups against better teams later in the tournament.

[mvd]

34. They sure did deserve it

I think the key in the UCLA game was that they shut down the 3-point-game. They also shut down Villanova's 3-point-game.

Everyone have a good night! Calling it a day for posting purposes. :hi:

[snacker]

33. It's too bad the game was soooo boring.

We normally enjoy the final four/championship games, but this year's really disappointed. The weekend before, on the hand, was totally exciting.