***NCAA Tournament*** Florida vs South Carolina

[divits]

Didn't read through the thread 'cause I don't want to re-live that game. But I can't figure out why we were not bringing the ball up the court quickly the entire second half. We kept allowing SC to get comfortable in their defense before we were ever across half court. There was no sense of urgency that I could see. And of course we couldn't hit a damn shot if the hoop was 5 feet round and 5 feet high. I'm also sure it's been mentioned, but good God almighty, the refs were horrendous in the second half.

 

[MertzJay26]

 

[78]

I used to love it when Donovan would use the trap to ignite the transition offense. It could turn games around. When your shots aren't falling, you sometime need your defense to get things going. We chose not to do that or, as divits just pointed out, to try and push the pace in the second half.

Fact is, we can probably second guess a lot of things about the loss. They beat us by 14 in the second half and we lost. Maybe they were just the better team today. There's no shame in that.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

I used to love it when Donovan would use the trap to ignite the transition offense. It could turn games around. When your shots aren't falling, you sometime need your defense to get things going. We chose not to do that or, as divits just pointed out, to try and push the pace in the second half.

Fact is, we can probably second guess a lot of things about the loss. They beat us by 14 in the second half and we lost. Maybe they were just the better team today. There's no shame in that.

UF was beaten on the openning play when the SoCar guy ran through Allen and the called no foul and gave the ball to SoCar. UF is a good defensive team. UF can play hard nosed. UF can not play that style of ball if that is the game the officials want.

 

[78]

UF was beaten on the openning play when the SoCar guy ran through Allen and the called no foul and gave the ball to SoCar. UF is a good defensive team. UF can play hard nosed. UF can not play that style of ball if that is the game the officials want.

I'm not clear what kind of game they were dictating. The officials let them play when it came time for SC to defend but chose a tight whistle on the opposite end. That can disrupt your game. There were a lot of things that weren't right out there. That was one.

 

[Since65]

SC won so being too critical smacks of sour grapes....however, that is some ugly basketball they play. It is reminiscent of the Pat Riley Knicks...foul on every play and eventually they'll overlook some of them. It's hard to figure where "tough, physical defense" stops and "pound the guy with the ball" begins.

That said, UF's shooting woes in the second half did them in...partly fatigue, partly more contested shots from SC. Thornwell is a player. UF doesn't really have that guy...who can create his own shot whenever needed. Robinson did not exert his will, can't see him getting drafted by the NBA. Hope he returns.

I would guess, without doing the research, White is the least experienced Head Coach of anyone in the Elite 8. I imagine this will be a good learning event for him. Not a bad second year in charge. In my opinion this Gator team certainly overachieved.

 

[Jbossgator8]

Sorry we were out and about doing stuff with our families so I only got to see bits and pieces of the game. I thought we looked gassed there in the 2nd half. We had a ton of VERY OPEN looks and just missed them. Refs were HORRIBLE. Can't win a game when its 31-14 free throws. The non travel call was HORRIBLE and we were ONLY down 2 so that MAKES A HUGE difference. Oh well that's how it goes. The NCAA WANTED and NEEDED SC and Frank Martin to get into their FIRST Final 4. It makes for a better story than Mike White's first try getting into the NCAA Tourney. Its like they say oh well he is too young and he will get there sooner or later which WE WILL under Mike White. We started the season UNRANKED and Finish in the TOP 8. TOTAL UNEXPECTED. Go Gators!! OWNED and DESTROYED by the REFS for sure!!

 

[t-gator]

The bs foul call on cheese decided it at the end. We would habe been tied with like 40 seconds left. That was clearly all ball.

 

[MertzJay26]

The bs foul call on cheese decided it at the end. We would habe been tied with like 40 seconds left. That was clearly all ball.

I'm not gonna blame the refs for us losing, we are to blame, but there were some AWFUL missed calls late that were crucial. Such is sports though.

 

[CGgater]

Had we made a couple of early 3s to start the second half, scar probably would've had to adjust their D, which would've helped us find more room in the paint. Just couldn't buy one, so while the refs clearly affected the game, I can't put all the blame on them... just MOST of it...

I hate to see the way we fizzled in the second half, but we outperformed our preseason and big dance projections. I hope it's enough to attract bigger talent while giving White a great learning opportunity. Still proud of our boys!

 

[GatorJB]

It's hard to win any game when shooting 0 for 14 for 3's in the second half, you give up 16 total turnovers, and also get out-rebounded. Throw in inconsistent officiating, and this team didn't have much of a chance. I wish we would have played better this game, but it's still a very good season overall.

 

[MidwestChomp]

This was the first game my 5 year old daughter watched with me. She sat on my lap the whole first half. The whole second half she jumped on her trampoline yelling Go Florida Go! or Go Orange and Blue! Here's a Giphy...

 

[GatorBart]

It's hard to win any game when shooting 0 for 14 for 3's in the second half, you give up 16 total turnovers, and also get out-rebounded. Throw in inconsistent officiating, and this team didn't have much of a chance. I wish we would have played better this game, but it's still a very good season overall.

I've avoided the board until now as it was a very disappointing loss, but you pretty much covered my thoughts. My only add-ons would be that: 1. our offense looked very stagnant in the 2nd half with little ball movement (credit SC's D I guess) and 2. I think White got out-coached in the 2nd half (credit Martin).

 

[GatorBart]

This was the first game my 5 year old daughter watched with me. She sat on my lap the whole first half. The whole second half she jumped on her trampoline yelling Go Florida Go! or Go Orange and Blue! Here's a Giphy...

That's great!
My 7-year-old son was whining about the refs the entire second half (taking a cue from his old man obviously). I'm not a good parental example when watching Gator games.

 

[MidwestChomp]

That's great!
My 7-year-old son was whining about the refs the entire second half (taking a cue from his old man obviously). I'm not a good parental example when watching Gator games.

She gave me a hug after the game and said it's OK dad. Then she asked if I was cheering for UK. I said Gator fans never cheer for UK. So she turned to my wife and said we are cheering for North Carolina because Gators never cheer for Kentucky.

 

[PastyStoole]

I wasn't able to watch the game but listened to the radio broadcast, it sounded like we fouled them every time they touched the ball in the second half. I was commenting to my family that it was unreal, literally every defensive stand ended in points or a foul.

At one point early in the second half we fouled them five times in one possession. I don't remember ever seeing anything similar to that.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I remember seeing 5 fouls on that 1 possession called... i just fail to remember actually seeing 5 fouls happen. That whole thing was beyond putrid.

 

[GatorBart]

I remember seeing 5 fouls on that 1 possession called... i just fail to remember actually seeing 5 fouls happen. That whole thing was beyond putrid.

Regardless of whether refs were screwing us (which they were), White needed a timeout there and should have seen what SC was doing - give them the damn bucket and move on! They were in the bonus with 16 minutes left in the 2nd half - unacceptable. We didn't adjust much at all in the 2nd half, which is why I stated that I believe White got out-coached. SC came out with a plan, executed it, and we failed to adjust (on both ends of the floor).

 

[TLB]

They were in the bonus with 16 minutes left in the 2nd half - unacceptable. We didn't adjust much at all in the 2nd half, which is why I stated that I believe White got out-coached. SC came out with a plan, executed it, and we failed to adjust (on both ends of the floor).

Completely agree on this one. I like White, but a top notch coach expects this kind of adjustment and has his kids prepared for it, or at least sees when it is happening and gets them adjusted. We just kinda let it happen...oh well.

 

[Gatormac2112]

At one point early in the second half we fouled them five times in one possession. I don't remember ever seeing anything similar to that.

Yep, I remember that. Unheard of.