Why not to panic

[gogators73]

I know we looked horrible vs. Kansas State but we have seen what this team is capable of.

I know Wisconsin, Marquette, and FSU aren't exactly Final Four teams but it isn't like we just beat them. We obliterated them. We were obliterating everybody before the Arizona loss.

This is just a slump. Is this a perfect team? No. Or else we probably wouldn't slump. But they are a very good team.

We aren't as good as the 2007 team but even that team lost to Kansas in Las Vegas, and then to FSU in Tallahassee. Of course we had some flu stuff going around but the point remains that when you play a tough OOC schedule and you go into amped up arenas, bad things can happen.

We should have beaten Arizona and they barellllyyyy won, in the most hyped environment of the year. And then we played horrible in another hyped environment and we still almost had a chance to win. We were only down 5 with under 3 minutes left.

This team is slumping for sure. But we hit the holidays here and then we have 2 great chances for wins OOC. Air Force in Sunrise and then at Yale. Yale is pretty bad but even having the confidence of hopefully winning that game on the road will be big for this team going forward.

Simply no need to panic. If we start losing SEC games we shouldn't (multiple ones, not a singular upset) or lose one of our remaining OOC games, then you can panic. Until then, this team will be fine. They just need their confidence and effort to get back to where it was.

[UFG8rGuy3283]

I think Billy said it best in the comments I read after the K-State game...the energy level wasn't where it needed to be and we had wide open looks outside if the guys driving the lane would have kicked the ball out with an extra pass. He also said what many on this board have said....for Patric to have the position he did most of the night and the guys not get him the ball pretty much every possession down the floor in the 2nd half was ridiculous. We lost a bit of focus and I'm sure it had a lot to do with hangover from AZ and also with the upcoming holidays. These guys will come back and do what's expected. As many have already said, I would rather get this stuff corrected and out of the way now before the conference schedule/March.

Our best basketball, IMO, is yet to come.

GO GATORS!

[dailydoublecat]

It is a marathon and not a sprint. There are going to be highs and lows. I love your ball club and I think you guys are in for one hell of a ride!!
Jeff

[gatorman_07732]

K-State will also probably not have a better shooting night for the rest of the year. Everything was going down for them and their D was extremely good

[InstiGATOR1]

The number one thing to understand about basketball is that:

1. If you make the final four, NO ONE will remembers losses at Zona or to KSU.

2. If you lose the first weekend of the NCAA tourney, NO ONE would take solace in having beaten Zona or KSU in December.

The only point with games like Marquette, Wisconsin, Zona, KSU or FSU is to measure yourself against other power conference teams and LEARN from them. So with Zona and KSU will UF learned the separate lessons from each game?

[tupacbiff]

The only point with games like Marquette, Wisconsin, Zona, KSU or FSU is to measure yourself against other power conference teams and LEARN from them. So with Zona and KSU will UF learned the separate lessons from each game?

Sorry but totally wrong! What you stated Is not the "only" point.

Tourney seeding is a big part of playing a tough schedule.

[oneatatime]

it is pretty clear that talent alone isn't going to carry this team.

If they want to win, they are going to have show up and play with intensity, which apparently wasn't the case against KState

[GatorPlanet]

it is pretty clear that talent alone isn't going to carry this team.

If they want to win, they are going to have show up and play with intensity, which apparently wasn't the case against KState

The Gators' level of effort wasn't terrible against KSU, but it was also nowhere near what we'd seen through the first nine games. Which is kind of inexplicable. If you're a top ten team and facing a really good opponent on the road, they're going to bring their best effort. So why wouldn't you bring YOUR best effort?

[ofmgator]

Very poor decisions by the guards (all of them) made it impossible to use the bigs effectively. I thought with Walker gone the days of driving to the basket into the trees would be over but sadly they're not.This team needs a serious attitude adjustment because talent is only part of winning.

[jjenkins5]

I agree with the OP; however, it must be frustrating for Billy & his staff for this "intensity" lesson to have to be re-learned every year. You'd think the Juniors and Seniors could retain it once they learn it. I guess that's what happens when you're playing with young men who are just barely no longer "kids".

They'll get it eventually and I agree it will be a fun ride into March!

[gatorbogey]

not even january yet. panic should not even be on the agenda yet

[gator34654]

Long season and I'd rather peak towards the end. Listen, we didn't play well, it's an away game and both az and ka played great at home. We play better at home. It's called home team advantage. We get better calls at home usually. The team will be ready for ncaa tourney when it comes. It's not like we were blown out. We played very good teams and we just didn't play well or with the kind of composure we needed. Lessons hopefully learned.

[themistocles]

Don't Panic!

That statement is on the Cover of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and reflects a very good approach to life in General.

If one panic's about Basketball, then one will really panic about what is going on around us all the time: http://snuproject.wordpress.com/2012/12/24/the-internet-is-a-threat-to-human-civilization-julian-assanges-a-call-to-cryptographic-arms-via-p2p-foundation/

[ArtVandelay]

I am disappointed because we lost the 2 toughest games that we have played to this point. I felt good about the Zona game because we dominated them except for the last 2 minutes of each half. We looked lost for the K-State game. There is still plenty of time to grow and get better.

I still watch this team and think that we have a chance to make it to the Final Four...

Go Gators!

[oneatatime]

The Gators' level of effort wasn't terrible against KSU, but it was also nowhere near what we'd seen through the first nine games. Which is kind of inexplicable. If you're a top ten team and facing a really good opponent on the road, they're going to bring their best effort. So why wouldn't you bring YOUR best effort?

The Gators rotation is 8 guys and while one or two are expected to have an off night or get into foul trouble, it is unusual when Billy didn't have confidence in five of them down the stretch and had to insert two freshmen that rarely play in pressure situations.

Other than Young and Wlbekin, the other 6 were extremely subpar

[GatorJeff]

Anytime the Gators play an experienced and motivated team with quality players on the road, there's a really good chance that we'll lose. That's college basketball. It's nothing to worry about and certainly not at all unexpected (at least for those of us that pay attention). In our last two national championship seasons, we lost five games and six games, and almost all of those losses were road games to highly-motivated teams with plenty of talent.

[tupacbiff]

The Gators rotation is 8 guys and while one or two are expected to have an off night or get into foul trouble, it is unusual when Billy didn't have confidence in five of them down the stretch and had to insert two freshmen that rarely play in pressure situations.

Other than Young and Wlbekin, the other 6 were extremely subpar

Nothing to do with confidence. He was sending a message.