With its thrilling victory over Texas Tech, Florida basketball is into its first Ultimate 4 since 2014. The No. 1 seed within the West Area is likely one of the hottest groups within the nation, having gained ten straight, together with the SEC Match. This group is likely one of the nation’s most balanced and deepest squads, led by a first-team All-American guard in Walter Clayton Jr., who’s as clutch as they arrive.
The Gators have grown into this season, coming into it No. 21 within the nation and the preseason No. 6 ranked squad within the SEC. After an undefeated nonconference run and an in depth loss to Kentucky, Florida confirmed the nation what it was able to with a historic blowout of No. 1 Tennessee. That sport confirmed that this workforce was going to be within the prime ten at some stage in the season. Nonetheless, the 90-81 victory on the highway in opposition to Auburn actually despatched a message to the remainder of the nation that this was a legit nationwide title contender.
The Gators punked the No. 1 workforce within the nation on its dwelling ground. Whereas the Tigers, who had been 21-1 heading into this contest, gained the battle on the boards, their elite perimeter protection was no match for Florida’s three-point barrage within the second half. Head coach Todd Golden’s workforce has misplaced one sport since and clinched the fourth No. 1 seed going into March Insanity.
Whereas the Gators haven’t essentially been at their greatest in March, this workforce has the ceiling to beat anybody within the nation. And now, there may be completely no stress on this workforce going into San Antonio. That being stated, there are some issues for this workforce heading into the Ultimate 4.
How the Gators have performed this event
Florida basketball has seemed like a modern-day model of “Cardiac Youngsters” in a few of these video games. After a routine opening spherical win over Norfolk State, the Gators took on the two-time defending champion UConn Huskies. And the vibes for this second-round sport had been actually poor for many of it. The Huskies disrupted the Gators’ offensive circulate for a lot of the sport whereas holding their very own on the offensive glass. UConn was additionally capable of sluggish the sport all the way down to its slower tempo of play. Fortuitously, Florida basketball confirmed its resilience within the final 5 minutes, with Clayton Jr. catching fireplace on the finish to win the sport 77-75.
Todd Golden’s workforce then went on to face Maryland within the Candy 16, the place it had extra of a classic efficiency. After a turnover-prone first-half, the Gators grew into the sport and gained comfortably 87-71. Then the conflict in opposition to Texas Tech occurred, the place much more so than with UConn, Florida seemed down and out. There was a lid on the basket for many of the sport, and the Purple Raiders had been largely beating the Gators at their very own sport, comparable to on the boards.
However, after being down 9 factors with three minutes to go, the one two gamers on Florida’s roster who had good video games, Thomas Haugh and Walter Clayton Jr., caught fireplace from three-point vary. And due to these clutch performs and some missed free throws, the Gators clinched victory from the jaws of defeat. Total, this workforce is aware of what it is able to. However there is a deadly flaw that Florida basketball has proven all through the event which will spell their doom in a rematch in opposition to Auburn.
Associated Florida Basketball InformationArticle continues beneath
Florida basketball’s deadly flaw
The Gators can wrestle in opposition to bodily defenses on the level of assault, throwing each the offense and protection off their rhythm. And this traces again to one of many main issues for this workforce heading into the event. Florida lacks a real level guard. Walter Clayton Jr. is likely one of the greatest guards within the nation. And his enchancment as a ball-handler has been great in comparison with final. There is a respectable likelihood that Clayton Jr. can evolve into a real level guard when he is within the NBA. However when it comes to operating the offense, he is nonetheless honing his abilities on that finish.
And when Florida will not be in its offensive circulate, that may have an effect on each ends of the ground, even with the workforce’s trademark offensive rebounding. The Gators had been held by the Huskies and Purple Raiders to solely eleven and twelve assists throughout these contests, with 24 complete turnovers. Florida has some nice passers, particularly on the massive man place. And Walter Clayton Jr. continues to be an excellent ground normal who can successfully run the offense. Nonetheless, at this stage, the place there’s a superb margin between these prime groups, coping with aggressive point-of-attack defenses is usually a concern for Florida.
Auburn, Duke, and Houston are all elite defensive groups with aggressive ball-pressure schemes. The Gators will, due to this fact, should be extra assured when in possession in opposition to these squads. It is honest to make the purpose that Florida has not performed a whole sport on this event to date. The one sport Florida seemed just like the juggernaut it’s was within the second half in opposition to Maryland. This group has proven that it could cope with aggressive, ball-screen blitz-heavy defenses that may attempt to run it off the three-point line. However there must be one other stage that the Gators want to succeed in to beat Auburn as soon as once more.
Elite guards like Will Richard and Alijah Martin had been thrown a lifeline after offensively lackluster performances in opposition to Texas Tech. As well as, the ahead unit outdoors of Thomas Haugh has struggled to offer its regular offensive and rebounding punch prior to now few video games. That is probably the most harmful workforce within the nation, however it is going to take two end-to-end performances to win a nationwide title. The Gators can do it, however they solely get one shot.