Gator Basketball On This Date: April 3, 2006

[InstiGATOR1]

Gators clamp down on UCLA to win first NCAA title
Apr 3, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Joakim Noah dominated UCLA with 16 points, nine rebounds and a record six blocks Monday night to key a 73-57 blowout for the Florida Gators' first national title in basketball.

Florida vs. UCLA - Game Recap - April 3, 2006 - ESPN

 

[Towels 'N Sporks]

man this really was a magical night... I had been going to nearly every home game for 10 years before that when we didn't even make the NIT sometimes. It was so surreal. I think I rewatched the entire final game 3-4 times in the next few weeks.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

Florida vs. UCLA - Game Recap - April 3, 2006 - ESPN

My happiest moment as a lifelong Gator fan.

 

[t-gator]

It was badass, man

 

[BruceWayne]

I worked the night shift at a place in Gainesville at the time. I watched the entire game at work. Skipped out on the rest of my shift to go downtown for the celebration. It's probably the craziest I've ever seen downtown/midtown. Midtown is what they call the area from the stadium all the way to about 6th street now.

 

[MidwestChomp]

Going into the game all the pundits were talking about how great UCLA's defense was. Billy did his classic shut down the cog in the wheel (Brewer dominated Afflalo) and let someone else score (Farmar had 18, but needed 21 shots). It was a masterful performance from a defensive standpoint and really shocked the nation.

Uncle Moss played some good hard minutes, and when the buzzer sounded the whole team jumped on him. It was such a great moment.

Noah was great in the final four, but I always thought Humpty was the reason both final four games blew open. He was an assassin from the three line.

Billy's pregame speech was a thing of beauty.



Finally, one the most iconic moments in all basketball happened at 2:52. Noah standing there doing the Gator Chomp gives me chills.

 

[oxrageous]

That team was such magic. As the dynasty ended I was honestly saddened knowing they would never be topped. Never. It's the only college basketball team I've ever seen that had no weaknesses.

 

[GatorBart]

We were in Hilo around game time on the Big Island and I convinced my wife we needed to eat at this sports bar we had seen and said ‘oh right, the Gator game is on!’

 

[GR8 2B]

We were in Hilo around game time on the Big Island and I convinced my wife we needed to eat at this sports bar we had seen and said ‘oh right, the Gator game is on!’

Nice maneuver!

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

That team was such magic. As the dynasty ended I was honestly saddened knowing they would never be topped. Never. It's the only college basketball team I've ever seen that had no weaknesses.

The 2007 team had a super short bench, so depth was a bit of a weakness. But on the floor? There wasn't much anyone could do other than hope to catch us on a cold shooting night.

 

[The Shady Grove Gator]

It's kind of fuzzy, but given what occurred on that day, I may have imbibed strong alcoholic spirits; likely in excess.

 

[stephenPE]

I worked the night shift at a place in Gainesville at the time. I watched the entire game at work. Skipped out on the rest of my shift to go downtown for the celebration. It's probably the craziest I've ever seen downtown/midtown. Midtown is what they call the area from the stadium all the way to about 6th street now.

I was the guy flying the big gator flag on a long pole in the street.

 

[stephenPE]

The greatest time to be a gator after that time Danny and the boys scored 52 in the Big Easy.

 

[neteng]

I dunno ... I kinda liked the football NCs better.

 

[CGgater]

And yet, the talking heads said we weren’t the best team of the tournament before the confetti was done falling. Thankfully, the 04s had a thoughtful and thorough response 365 days later.

 

[ChiefGator]

Going into the game all the pundits were talking about how great UCLA's defense was. Billy did his classic shut down the cog in the wheel (Brewer dominated Afflalo) and let someone else score (Farmar had 18, but needed 21 shots). It was a masterful performance from a defensive standpoint and really shocked the nation.

Uncle Moss played some good hard minutes, and when the buzzer sounded the whole team jumped on him. It was such a great moment.

Noah was great in the final four, but I always thought Humpty was the reason both final four games blew open. He was an assassin from the three line.

Billy's pregame speech was a thing of beauty.



Finally, one the most iconic moments in all basketball happened at 2:52. Noah standing there doing the Gator Chomp gives me chills.

Yes he was great, and improved his game. He got a lot of wide open shots because the rest of the team was so dangerous inside. His defense was something few noticed but it also made a big difference.

 

[Thick&ThinG8r]

1: In 06 and 07 they never lost a loser go home game, SEC or NCAA. Amassing.
2: It pisses me off how bspn still jerks off the fab 5 despite never winning a damn thing, and rarely mentions the 04's.
3: Watching one shining moment that night really put a lump in my throat, and maybe some watery eyes.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

The 2007 team had a super short bench, so depth was a bit of a weakness. But on the floor? There wasn't much anyone could do other than hope to catch us on a cold shooting night.

The 2005-2007 team certainly had weaknesses. They were lucky not to face an opponent in the NCAAs that had big athletic scoring guards. Humphrey was a good defender, but he was still only 6'2" tall. Green not tall and not as good a defender. UF had some trouble with Mississippi State during that era because they did have 6'4" or 6'5" athletic guards who could score.

What I would say about that UF team is that they fit together so well. UF's players had skills that complemented each other quite well. UF had a couple or 2.5 shooters. UF had a couple of guards who could drive. UF had a spot up shooter. UF had 2.5 really good rebounders. UF had a defensive stopper. UF had a guy who could get his own shot. Even Hodge coming off the bench to give UF a second ball handler was important.

As for depth, when UF got into foul trouble in the 2007 championship game UF had frosh Speights to send in against Ohio State. He got few minutes that year, but his per minute numbers were so great that there was much talk about him heading into the 2007-08 season. Also I remember an ESPN non-basketball specific commentator who went to a UF practice at the final four saying on TV he was shocked that UF had future NBA players on the bench he had never heard of. (That was again Speights.)

 

[78]

The 2007 team had a super short bench, so depth was a bit of a weakness. But on the floor? There wasn't much anyone could do other than hope to catch us on a cold shooting night.

Other than the loss of Adrian Moss, who was effectively replaced by Marreese Speights, the 2007 team was nearly identical. Almost no change in the backcourt.

 

[oxrageous]

They were lucky not to face an opponent in the NCAAs that had big athletic scoring guards.

Or else they would have been waxed, eh? Yeah.