Congrats Gators and Coach White on our Sweet 16!

[Jbossgator8]

Who was the IDIOT that said we should be starting Rimmer?? Looks like we are doing just fine without him in the line up. LOLOL Those Vandy losses don't mean JACK SQUAT now and are loooooong forgotten expect by the Haters and Complainers and TROLLS.

 

[78]

Florida basketball has now made the Sweet 16 or better in 7 of its last 8 tournament appearances, with the only exception being the first round 2OT loss to BYU in 2010. Of course there are 3 NIT seasons and a losing record mixed in there, but when we get to the dance, we dance for a LONG time.

That's a good point and team defense is the common denominator. Donovan preached it and so does White. It'll take you places you might think not possible when the game slows down, which is what happens in the tourney. The problem from here on is facing teams that are excellent in the half court and us needing to make shots to survive.

 

[GatorStud]

 

[Alumni Guy]

These past 2 games could be program defining.

I was worried when Billy left, Gators basketball would return to its pre-Donovan state of mediocrity. People and, more importantly, recruits would assume our success was 100% attributable to Billy.

This success demonstrates that Gators basketball is a brand to be recognized and is larger than a single Coach. Go Gators.

Enough Rah-Rah for me, time to return to complaining about QBs.

 

[MertzJay26]

I'm willing to bet he'll be gone 2022!

Umm, what?

 

[Chomper]

Not bad for a second year coach still using hold-over players from the Billy D era. Grats Coach White. Grats Gator hoopsters.

 

[GatorJ]

That's a good point and team defense is the common denominator. Donovan preached it and so does White. It'll take you places you might think not possible when the game slows down, which is what happens in the tourney. The problem from here on is facing teams that are excellent in the half court and us needing to make shots to survive.

The reason that we are not particularly good in half court is because we tend to float the ball out to shoot three pointers instead of using our length to our advantage on the interior.

I have not watched all the games this year, but I I can tell you that in the last 5 to 7 games (prior to the NCAA tournament) we have not done that very well. We kind of focused just with Eggs in the interior so when he ended up getting injured we virtually had a nonexistent inside game. Since we have been in the NCAA tournament we have really capitalized on our length inside which has increased confidence in our offense. Prior to this three-point shooting craze that the golden state warriors have brought upon us, a basic tenet of basketball was always to work inside out.

Because we did that yesterday our half-court game was solid.

 

[T REX]

These past 2 games could be program defining.

I was worried when Billy left, Gators basketball would return to its pre-Donovan state of mediocrity. People and, more importantly, recruits would assume our success was 100% attributable to Billy.

This success demonstrates that Gators basketball is a brand to be recognized and is larger than a single Coach. Go Gators.

Enough Rah-Rah for me, time to return to complaining about QBs.

I agree with you...mostly. I think there will be a minority of fans/talking heads that will say he did it with Billy's players. Until, he does it with his own you'll here that crap. It's great to see and he did an amazing job coaching this year.

 

[Bernardo de la Paz]

Prior to this three-point shooting craze that the golden state warriors have brought upon us, a basic tenet of basketball was always to work inside out.

The warriors weren't the ones that started the trend, but they're definitely the best.

I think that style of play is the best way to win in the NBA, but I don't think it is the best way in college. When you are trying to win 7 game series you can survive some off shooting nights, but that doesn't work in a single elimination tournament.

 

[Alumni Guy]

T-Rex,

You raise valid points, but White's recruits have a significant role on the team. Allen is probably our best player (I prefer Robinson), Gak is a serviceable replacement for Egbunu (who also was a White recruit, I think), and Barry is also an asset.

You are correct that most of the team is Billy's, but Whites players are solid contributiors

 

[78]

The warriors weren't the ones that started the trend, but they're definitely the best.

I think that style of play is the best way to win in the NBA, but I don't think it is the best way in college. When you are trying to win 7 game series you can survive some off shooting nights, but that doesn't work in a single elimination tournament.

Yep, there's a reason why the game goes more half court in the postseason. It's all about percentages. The closer you are to the basket, the more baskets you make.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

Eating my large heaping plate of White-laced crow today and enjoying every bite of it.

Meeting Duke on the same floor we lost to them on earlier this season for a chance at the Final Four would be incredible.

 

[Gatorraid81]

This team has done better than I thought they would coming into this tournament. Thought we wouldn't get past the second round. Glad I was wrong.

 

[deuce]

Umm, what?

I left out the "by".

I don't think White will stay at Florida, I think he is too upwardly mobile and will take a job at one of the top 5 schools.

 

[Gatorraid81]

I left out the "by".

I don't think White will stay at Florida, I think he is too upwardly mobile and will take a job at one of the top 5 schools.

Hopefully Stricklin will be as successful at picking basketball coaches as Foley was. And I pray he's waaaaaaaaay more successful at picking football coaches than Foley was.

 

[MertzJay26]

I left out the "by".

I don't think White will stay at Florida, I think he is too upwardly mobile and will take a job at one of the top 5 schools.

Ah gotcha. Who knows, we always thought BD would leave for a top 5 basketball program, but instead he stayed and built one. We are an upper echelon program who has the funds to offer $$$$$

 

[gatordad3]

Let's hope he stays for a while. Mike White turned down a few bigger coaching gigs before replacing Donovan.
After all, he turned down the Vols before they had to settle for a recycled Rick Barnes.

 

[t-gator]

Ah gotcha. Who knows, we always thought BD would leave for a top 5 basketball program, but instead he stayed and built one. We are an upper echelon program who has the funds to offer $$$$$

At what point do we start getting recognized as the program we are in basketball? And none of the "better jobs" have more money to pay than Florida. I don't see him leaving for another school unless his dad at duke comes calling. I could see a scenario where he may wanna work with his dad but there's so many former duke players and assistants already out there to choose from.

 

[78]

At what point do we start getting recognized as the program we are in basketball? .

That's a great question, t. Donovan did what he did for so long and yet I'm convinced the net effect was people felt he was behind it all and little had to do with the program. And if so, fine, guys like Billy D come around once in a lifetime.

What Coach White is doing is more than just getting us potentially deep into the dance. He's got a chance here to make people really rethink Florida basketball in terms of what they previously thought. You can't deny what we've sustained over 20 years or are doing here. It's meaningful.

And, yes, this falls squarely on the career accomplishments of Jeremy Foley. Rightfully so.

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

I blame Foley for this success.