Florida

Florida is really aggressive on offense. You need someone that can break them down to be successful and even then look out. This is a very good defensive team, especially on the guards.

Offensively, man I dont love them here, but they are better then they have been. Against man defensive, they line everyone up outside the arc and try to dribble penetrate. This usually amounts to a 3pt shot. I think this team will be very hard to predict scoring. If they can dribble by you, they will score. If you force them into 3′s, they may murder you if they are hot or lay an egg if they are not.

LAst year, they won by 28 against a decent team who they shut down defensively and scored balanced. I would guess a very similare score this year. 79 – 51. Were winning 43-19 at half. SEcond half was 36 – 32.

Feb: Georgia 76, No. 11 Florida 62: This is an upset, of course, but I’m not sure we should be all that surprised. Frankly, I’m not sure if a Florida loss should ever truly catch us off guard. Don’t get me wrong: The Gators are good. But they’re a specific kind of good. When their steady diet of 3s are falling, they can shoot opponents off the floor before said opponents even have a chance to catch their breath. But if the shots aren’t going down, Florida has no Plan B. Patric Young is the only true post presence, and his offensive game is still a work in progress (and he’s still underutilized as a scoring threat to boot). The Gators’ defense — which ranks fifth in opponents’ points per possession in SEC play, No. 10 in opponents’ 3-point field goal percentage and No. 10 in block rate — still isn’t good enough to hold opponents in check when the shots clanging off the iron and the opponents start turning long rebounds into secondary breaks and easy buckets. Florida might yet get there on the defensive end, but it isn’t yet. If this UF team has a lower ceiling than it should, well, that’s why.

2/29 Who is coming in cold… 8. Florida: Tuesday’s loss to Vanderbilt dropped the Gators to 5-4 in February, when they also fell to teams such as Georgia and Tennessee. A season-ending injury to standout forward Will Yeguete has made things even harder on a team that will enter the NCAA tournament on a downslide.

Florida loss to Tenn 2012

Jan 8 Florida, which has lost all four of their true road games this year, came in averaging 85.4 points this season, best among SEC teams and fifth in the nation. BUT the Volunteers held the Gators to 35.7 percent shooting while hitting 51 percent of their own attempts.I’m more disappointed with our defense than anything else in the game,” Florida coach Billy Donovan said. “Both teams played hard, but the difference was the defense. At one point were we giving up 55 percent (shooting) in the second half. That was the issue.”

The Vols expanded their lead as they hit 12 of 22 shots in the second half while the Gators hit only 8 of 27. Tennessee controlled the post in the second half and outscored Florida 32-20 in the paint.

strong performance from their starters, who are all averaging double-digit scoring this year. But Florida’s reserves only managed one point, a free throw by Casey Prather.

Florida 2012 Huguenin season start article

Florida: The Gators’ deep backcourt has led the way to a 12-3 start. All three losses have come on the road; setbacks against Ohio State and Syracuse don’t hurt, but how in the world did this team fall against Rutgers? Florida is hitting 11.3 3-pointers per game and shooting 41.4 percent from beyond the arc; both figures lead the league by a wide margin. Ultimately, though, whether Florida can legitimately challenge Kentucky for the league title is going to come down to whether big men Patric Young, Erik Murphy and Will Yeguete can be productive on the boards when it matters.

Florida

Florida
Experienced team. They are a combo of big and small. Chandler Parsons plays on the perimeter. Macklin and Tyus hit the boards. Walker and Boynton are small, but very quick. Boynton can shoot the three, but Walker does not do much on offense due to his size. Well coached and experienced. They shot the ball poorly against KY. They need to take it to the rack more. They seem like a streaky team. However, with their experience level, I see them making the sweet 16.

Florida

vs. Kentucky. Pretty athletic as I would have suspected from a Donovan lead team. I think this was a good loss. Their inability to grab rebounds allowed Kentucky to score a boatload of second chance points. Kentucky simply doesn’t lose at Rupp. Florida was in the game for the first 35 minutes. Florida 9-3 in games decided by 6 points or less and 3-1 in overtime this season. If they slip to a 4-6 seed, spread could be tighter which could be a good thing. Nobody on this team has won an NCAA game yet. After the two championships, Florida had 2 years away from March Madness. Last year, they got bumped by BYU in round 1, 99-92. I see this team being hungry and putting up 90+ points. The last 2 two first round NCAA games, Donovan lead teams scored (2007 Jackson St.) 112 and (2010 BYU) 92. He will send a message and they will be running and gunning. I will likely bet them with that said.

Florida

Game Notes:  Saw Florida play Ohio State. Bottom line is that they are better. Looks exactly like last years teams but slightly better and a few more minutes off the bench. Their PG is still prone to mood swings and bad decisions, but they could go to Macklin down low in a game ending situation. Overall I again want to like this team but don’t. Boyton cant do anything on his own.  Walker ac create but is streaky. Tyus is a waste and Chandler not bad. Take a decent team and bring them all back and what you get is better decent. Buckeyes were down at half.

Having five returning starters: Against Ohio State, Florida looked much like the same team that suffered home losses last season. The Gators were on fire in the first half, but offered little resistance with their press as Ohio State crushed them in the second half.

As for Florida, this group doesn’t look all that different than last season. Maybe the Buckeyes exposed the real Gators. There is still no real point guard as Erving Walker leaves his feet in the lane too much. And though Kenny Boynton looked better shooting the ball, did he really make anyone else better? Not really.

Moreover, UF’s big men looked pedestrian at best. There is a distinct lack of effectiveness in their press. So from the lack of size of Boynton and Walker, to the lack of effectiveness of Chandler Parsons or any of their big men — Erik Murphy still looked young and Patric Young looked like an athletic freak who was lost offensively – Florida’s vulnerability was certainly exposed on Tuesday.

All is not lost for the Gators, but with no point guard, average big men and an inability to make the press effective, I may have overstated their chances of winning the SEC. Yes, they returned five starters, but this is the same team that lost five of their last six games and lost five overall in the O’Dome last season. Billy D and his program may be further from “back” than I would have thought.

Game Notes: Florida State – Florida made 17 of 25 free throws while Florida State scored six points from the line. The Gators also had a 35-31 rebounding advantage.The Gators led almost from the start, taking advantage of poor Florida State shooting. Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton expected to see Florida throw a zone defense at his taller club, but he’d hoped his team would handle it better. ”They played us all zone and they don’t do that very often,” Hamilton said. “They were a lot more aggressive attacking the basket. We didn’t attack.”  Florida State shot just 33.3 percent against the smaller, quicker Gators. Kirk Note – I think this may be the Florida team growing. This was a good test of height and they adjusted and won.

From last years tournament, Florida lost in double overtime to Florida.  Parsons missed a jumper from the right side of the lane in the closing seconds. Parsons also missed a 3 in the last minute of the first overtime and Dan Werner missing an awkward volleyball-style tap off a busted play after Fredette had dribbled into Boynton’s hands.  “You can’t complain about the looks we got at the end,” said Parsons “We fought hard, everyone was tired but they were just as tired as us.”

Vs SCar Game Notes: SC Guard Bruce Ellington scored 23 points, including the final six for South Carolina, and  Ellington got pretty much any shot he wanted against Florida’s smaller guards. Florida which came up short after rallying from a 10-point deficit in the second half.South Carolina dominated the first half, shooting 48 percent from the field, blocking six shots and shutting down Florida’s backcourt duo of Walker and Kenny Boynton. Making matters worse for the Gators, Chandler Parsons (1 for 3), Alex Tyus (1 for 6) and Vernon Macklin (2 for 7) couldn’t get anything going inside. Florida trailed 35-25 at the break, but played considerably better in the second half.  The Gators really struggled from the free throw line, missing 10 shots. Florida  missed its final five free throws, lost points in a tight game.

Vs Georgia: Interesting insight into this team. I am impressed with what this team showed me tonight as Donovan has this team improving a little bit every game. . They were out manned in the first half against a big strong talented Georgia team, but they came out in the second half and willed themselves to a win. They fought harder for rebounds, hit big shots, and ran their offense very well.  I dont love this team, but they are becoming a team that I will bet on and I wouldnt want my team to face.

Next Game vs Georgia:  Thompkins and Jeremy Price had their way with whatever defense Florida played. Leslie was even more disruptive, breaking down Florida’s guards and getting easy buckets in transition. Lesliehad nine points, five rebounds and four assists in the first 20 minutes. But the Gators closed out the first half strong and opened the second half the same way. Parsons was the key early, then Boynton took over. Kirks Notes: I think this is a trend for Florida. Marginal in the first half and big time in the second. Donovan makes good adjustments.

Vs Alabama: Florida dominated every aspect of the second half, using a 10-0 run to build a double-digit lead and then pouring it on with 3-pointers and dunks. The Gators made 26 of their final 37 shots against the SEC’s best defense in their best half of the season and maybe the program’s best half since winning consecutive national titles in 2006 and 2007.

Rivals com top 25 preseason

Preseason top 25
1. DUKE
Why they’re here: Duke has perhaps the nation’s top returning player in F Kyle Singler, the Most Outstanding Player of last season’s Final Four. The arrivals of Liberty transfer Seth Curry and highly touted freshman Kyrie Irving should make up for the loss of All-America G Jon Scheyer in the backcourt. Duke also boasts arguably the nation’s best coach in Mike Krzyzewski. The key player: Irving arrives on campus as the No. 4 prospect in the 2010 recruiting class, and the Blue Devils need him to live up to his billing. Irving, Curry and All-America candidate Nolan Smith all have the ability to play either guard position, but Irving is the most natural point guard of the trio. Duke will need this freshman to play with the poise of an upperclassman by the time March rolls around.
2. MICHIGAN STATE
Why they’re here: The Spartans could be better than the team that reached its second consecutive Final Four last season. Michigan State made its tournament run with G Kalin Lucas on crutches and F Delvon Roe hobbled by injuries. F Draymond Green is Evan Turner-like in his versatility, and G Durrell Summers was the team MVP in March. The key player: Lucas had an up-and-down season because of injuries; he missed the Final Four run with a torn Achilles tendon. When healthy, he’s one of the best point guards in the country, but he missed the entire offseason rehabbing his injury.
3. KANSAS
Why they’re here: With freshman G Josh Selby, Kansas would be the favorite to win the Big 12. Selby is a do-it-all point guard, with tremendous athleticism. Team him with underrated PF Marcus Morris, and KU would have one of the best inside-outside duos in the nation. But while coach Bill Self has said he thinks Selby will play this season, the NCAA hasn’t officially ruled on his eligibility yet. Without Selby, KU is good – but it wouldn’t be this good. The key player: Obviously, it’s Selby. But even if Selby is eligible, G Tyshawn Taylor can’t be overlooked. He is a solid all-around player, and his defense and passing were strong last season. He seemingly can get to the rim against anybody, but Taylor must improve his outside stroke. If he becomes an adequate 3-point shooter, KU would become exceedingly tough to beat.
4. PITTSBURGH
Why they’re here: If there were any lingering doubts about coach Jamie Dixon‘s abilities, they ended last season. This has become a big-time program, one that re-loads and not rebuilds. G Ashton Gibbs is a big-timer, and Brad Wanamaker and Travon Woodall complete one of the better guard triumvirates in the nation. There also are a lot of big bodies up front that will help the Panthers play their aggressive and physical brand of defense. The key player: While the backcourt gets most of the attention, don’t sleep on the frontcourt. Keep an especially close eye on senior C Gary McGhee. He has the size and skill set to be a low-post enforcer on defense and a productive garbage man on offense. If he can push his scoring average to around 10 points – a jump of 3.1 from last season – coach Jamie Dixon would be happy.
5. OHIO STATE
Why they’re here: Do-everything swingman Evan Turner is gone, but the Buckeyes still have enough talent returning and arriving to make another run in the Big Ten. Freshman Jared Sullinger will step in and make an instant impact in the frontcourt. William Buford was perhaps underrated in Turner’s shadow; that won’t be the case anymore. The key player: The Buckeyes have plenty of guards (Buford, Jon Diebler), but no true point guard. Senior David Lighty, who played on a Final Four team as a freshman, could claim Turner’s role as the do-everything swingman.
6. KANSAS STATE
Why they’re here: Kansas will be a hot place to be this basketball season, what with the Jayhawks, Missouri Valley favorite Wichita State and these guys. The Wildcats fell to Butler in the Elite Eight last season, and the bulk of the key players are back, including potential All-America G Jacob Pullen. There also are some solid newcomers who will help K-State challenge Kansas for supremacy in the state and in the Big 12. The key player: F Wally Judge was the crown jewel of last season’s freshman class, but Judge never really seemed to adapt to the trappings of major-college ball. He certainly has all the physical tools. If he lives up to his high school hype, the Wildcats will have one of the best frontcourts in the nation, as he and fellow holdovers Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels will be joined by transfer Freddy Asprilla and freshman Nino Williams.
7. VILLANOVA
Why they’re here: Scottie Reynolds – a backcourt fixture for the Wildcats for, what, about 12 or 13 seasons? – is gone, but coach jay Wright still has one of the best backcourts around. Look for senior G Corey Fisher to become a star, and Dominic Cheek, Corey Stokes and Maalik Wayns lend ample backcourt support. Senior F Antonio Pena willingly does all the little things. The key player: Sophomore C Mouphtaou Yarou was sidelined by hepatitis B early last season and struggled to gain his footing once he was healthy. But he has the athleticism and skill level to be a defensive force, and he should be able to provide 10 or so points per game as well. Plus, with Yarou in the lineup, Pena can play power forward, his natural position.
8. SYRACUSE
Why they’re here: Wesley Johnson, Arinze Onuaku and Andy Rautins – all gone. But weep not for coach Jim Boeheim, who once again will be busy in March. Look for junior K Kris Joseph to make the jump from important reserve to go-to guy. Rich Jackson is a physical presence up front, and Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche are solid combo guards. The key player: Freshman C Fab Melo arrives with a load of hype, and the 7-footer should be able to live up to most of it. His name is a perfect fit for Syracuse (come on – anyone named “Melo” has to play for the Orange), and his skills in the low post fit should fit perfectly with what this team needs.
9. BAYLOR
Why they’re here: The Bears were in the Elite Eight last season, and while they lost some key players from that team, there’s still some talent on hand. Most notably, G LaceDarius Dunn is back for his senior season. Dunn is one of the best offensive players in the nation. Big things are expected from true freshman F Perry Jones, an athletic big man who will score, rebound and block shots. The key player: Sophomore A.J. Walton will try to fill the shoes of departed PG Tweety Carter. Walton has good range and while he’s not likely to score as much as Carter (who averaged 15.0 points last season), he has the potential to be a double-figure scorer and a guy who gets four or five assists a night.
10. NORTH CAROLINA
Why they’re here: This ranking admittedly is a leap of faith, considering North Carolina failed to reach the NCAA tournament last season. But we’re betting freshman F Harrison Barnes immediately establishes himself as one of the nation’s top players, and that five-star prospect Reggie Bullock shores up the backcourt. We’re also counting on sophomore F John Henson to make major strides and C Tyler Zeller to stay healthy. The key player: The easy answer is to go with Barnes, but we’re betting he’s the real deal. We also could focus on the continued development of Henson and PG Larry Drew III. But it would really help the Tar Heels if Zeller could stay healthy for an entire season after being injured for large chunks of the past two. If he can play a full season, this highly skilled 7-footer could shore up a frontcourt that has plenty of star power but serious depth concerns.
11. GONZAGA
Why they’re here: Gonzaga returns four starters from a team that went 27-7 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. The Zags have a potential first-round draft pick in sophomore F Elias Harris, a legitimate 7-footer in Robert Sacre and a proven perimeter scorer in G Steven Gray. The key player: The Zags need more production from PG Demetri Goodson. Although Goodson technically was Gonzaga’s starting point guard last season, he had less than half as many assists as SG Matt Bouldin. Now that Bouldin has completed his college career, Goodson needs to emerge as more of a playmaker.
12. KENTUCKY
Why they’re here: The Wildcats are ranked this highly because, with freshman big man Enes Kanter, they will have excellent inside-outside balance and should win the SEC. One problem: Kanter’s eligibility is an issue, and he hasn’t even practiced with the team. He is the centerpiece of yet another fantastic recruiting class put together by John Calipari. The key player: If Kanter is eligible, it’ll be him, as he basically will be asked to be this season’s version of DeMarcus Cousins. If he isn’t eligible, freshman PG Brandon Knight – a big-time talent in his own right – will have more of the scoring responsibility. He and fellow freshman Doron Lamb should form a productive backcourt; how productive it will have to be depends on Kanter’s status.
13. FLORIDA
Why they’re here: All five starters are back from a team that lost in the first round of the NCAA tourney. Plus, there’s a solid group of freshman, headed by physical big man Patric Young. Senior F Chandler Parsons made huge strides last season, and his versatility at 6 feet 9 – he can hit the 3-pointer, as well as put the ball on the floor and get to the rim – is a key part of Florida’s offense. Backcourt depth potentially is a huge problem again, and some freshmen must come through on the perimeter. The key player: G Kenny Boynton struggled with his shot last season as a true freshman and didn’t live up to his offensive hype out of high school. But his defense was surprisingly good, and if he can get his 3-point percentage into at least the high 30s – it was a dreadful 29.4 percent last season – Florida’s offense will be quite potent.
14. ILLINOIS
Why they’re here: Last season was a disappointment that ended in the NIT, but Illinois’ core of G Demetri McCamey, C Mike Tisdale and F Mike Davis returns, and each is a senior. Tisdale and Davis, an imposing frontcourt duo, are a rarity in college basketball as senior big men. Beyond those key seniors, Illinois is looking for sophomore Gs D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul to build on solid freshman seasons. The key player: The relationship between McCamey and coach Bruce Weber bears watching. When McCamey is on his game, he’s one of the best in the country. But he wasn’t consistent, as evidenced by 123 turnovers.
15. MISSOURI
Why they’re here: The Tigers are well-versed in coach Mike Anderson’s version of the “40 minutes of hell” defense, and they’ll again make life difficult for Big 12 foes. Mizzou forced a nation’s-high 659 turnovers last season, though some key defenders moved on. But the top three scorers are back, and G Kim English should get more national notice this season. The key player: Sophomore Michael Dixon should move into departed J.T. Tiller’s role as the Tigers’ point guard. Dixon did a nice job offensively last season and has the potential to be a solid 3-point shooter. But he needs to turn up the defensive intensity. He has the athleticism to do so.
16. BUTLER
Why they’re here: Butler lost star F Gordon Hayward to the NBA, but most of the other key players from last season’s NCAA runner-up return. G Shelvin Mack should develop into an All-America candidate in his junior season. If Butler keeps playing the type of defense it displayed in last season’s NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs should win the Horizon League and make a deep postseason run again. The key player: Senior F/C Matt Howard was the Horizon League player of the year two seasons ago, but his numbers dipped last season as he struggled with foul trouble. Now that Hayward is gone, Howard needs to recapture his 2008-09 production. If he can avoid fouls, Howard should team with Mack to give Butler one of the nation’s best inside-outside duos.
17. PURDUE
Why they’re here: The season-ending injury to F Robbie Hummel is not the end of the Boilermakers. F JaJuan Johnson and G E’Twaun Moore could be the best inside-outside duo in the Big Ten. Just as critical for the Boilers’ success are Lewis Jackson and Kelsey Barlow, who look to share the point guard spot. The key player: The replacement for Hummel will be a work-in-progress sophomore (Patrick Bade), a redshirt freshman (Sandi Marcus) and/or a true freshman (Travis Carroll). Junior G Ryne Smith might be just as important filling in for departed role players Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant. Smith will be a defensive specialist off the bench who also can shoot the 3-pointer.
18. MEMPHIS
Why they’re here: Last season, a depth-shy (and, frankly, talent-shy) Tigers team missed out on the NCAA tourney. That shouldn’t happen this season. Coach Josh Pastner brought in an ultra-talented freshman class, and if the newcomers mesh well with holdovers such as F Wesley Witherspoon, the Tigers can make a nice run in March. The key player: Freshman G Joe Jackson signed with the hometown Tigers out of high school, and it’ll be his job to make sure everyone stays on the same page. Jackson was a prolific scorer in high school, but he’ll have to worry more about getting his teammates shots than getting his points. He’ll still get his points, and we’re betting he does a nice job distributing the ball, too.
19. VIRGINIA TECH
Why they’re here: Virginia Tech returns nine of the top 10 scorers from a team that matched a school record with 25 wins last season. G Malcolm Delaney led the ACC in scoring last year, while F Jeff Allen is the ACC’s active career leader in rebounds, steals and blocks. Virginia Tech’s recent history of Selection Sunday disappointment should end this season. The key player: Perhaps no player in the ACC is more indispensible than Delaney. Not only did he lead the conference in scoring last season, he also ranked sixth in assists, third in free-throw percentage and fourth in minutes. He has the talent to lead Virginia Tech to an NCAA bid much in the same way Greivis Vasquez carried Maryland on his back last season.
20. TEMPLE
Why they’re here: Fran Dunphy has returned the Owls to the top of the Atlantic 10; last season, he guided the Owls to their best regular season (29-6) since 1987-88. The NCAA tournament is a different story, with three consecutive first-round losses. With the inside-outside duo of F Lavoy Allen (who averaged a double-double last season) and G Juan Fernandez, the Owls have what it takes to extend regular-season success into the NCAA tournament. The key player: G Ramone Moore averaged 16.1 points over a seven-game stretch in January and February. As unexpected and sudden as the hot streak started, it ended in the last month of the season. With Ryan Brooks gone, Moore will need to play at a high level over the course of the entire season to take some pressure off Fernandez.
21. WASHINGTON
Why they’re here: The Huskies helped the Pac-10 save face last season with a trip to the Sweet 16, and they look poised to be the class of the conference again. Undersized but high-scoring G Isaiah Thomas leads one of the best and deepest backcourts in the nation. The key player: F Matthew Bryan-Amaning emerged late last season, becoming one of Washington’s best players in the NCAA tournament. He’ll need to sustain that level of play through this season. He’s by far the Huskies’ best option in the frontcourt now that Quincy Pondexter is gone.
22. SAN DIEGO STATE
Why they’re here: The Aztecs return all five starters from a team that went 25-9 and won the Mountain West Conference tournament last season. Kawhi Leonard, Billy White and Malcolm Thomas give San Diego State one of the nation’s top frontcourts. In seasons when San Diego State coach Steve Fisher has returned at least four starters, his teams have won 72.6 percent of their games. The key player: Leonard earned first-team All-MWC honors as a freshman and could mature into an All-America candidate as a sophomore. He recorded 17 double-doubles last season and was the MVP of the MWC tournament. He was the only freshman from an NCAA tournament squad last year to lead his team in points and rebounds.
23. WEST VIRGINIA
Why they’re here: Bob Huggins‘ Mountaineers made a Final Four run last season, but they lost so much talent that another Final Four appearance is too much to ask. Still, WVU should be in the thick of the race in the Big East. Look for underrated F Kevin Jones to become the go-to guy; he’s a physical presence with a nice outside stroke. The key player: G Joe Mazzulla battled injuries last season, but he is a gritty floor leader who knows what Huggins wants done on both ends of the court. He is the epitome of a “glue guy,” and has the potential to average around 10 points and four assists.
24. WISCONSIN
Why they’re here: The NCAA tournament was a letdown, with the Badgers losing in the second round to Cornell, but Wisconsin has been remarkably consistent in the regular season under coach Bo Ryan. Wisconsin has won at least 10 Big Ten games in eight of the past nine seasons and reached the tournament in each of the past 12. The Badgers are an experienced group, led by versatile F Jon Leuer and PG Jordan Taylor. The key player: The departures of Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon mean freshmen will need to contribute at guard. Ben Brust can play either guard spot and shoot the “3.” Hughes and Bohannon combined to make 142 3-pointers last season. Taylor made 35.
25. TENNESSEE
Why they’re here: Freshman Tobias Harris arrives with copious press clippings, and he should provide an immediate offensive presence in the paint. His arrival means the Vols have enough talent to challenge for the SEC East title, but an ongoing NCAA investigation could take its toll. The key player: Junior G Scotty Hopson has shown flashes of stardom, but he has lacked consistency. This needs to be the season he breaks through. He is a silky-smooth player with big-time range, and his size (6-7) helps him overpower smaller defenders.