Great read on the Gators from CBS

[ReggieNelson]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21736560/scouting-title-contenders-florida

spot on analysis

[tommyuf21]

I agree. This is very honest and pulls no punches. One of the best analysis that I have read in awhile.

[SmootyGator]

Great article. I agree with just about all of it.

[gatorjjh]

great article, thanks :)

[hgators]

It's so much about the presence, the loose balls and rebounding that Will brings. It is really tough to bang with our smaller lineup and Erik being a 2 or 3 in a 4 body.

We'll be fine. Will will be back and it will help our depth. These Saturday-Tuesday turns, undermanned got to us.

Go Gators!!!

[BengermanV]

Wow, that was fantastic. Agree with the later comments: We can't make a Final Four without Yeguete, and the SEC may not have prepared us for a run in the tournament. Well see!

[malscott]

I hate when articles make so much sense. It's weird though, no mention of the reff's being the real problem... Let's hope our boy is doing heavy rehab and ready for the tourney. We're losing just enough to learn humility and not too much to completely blow it. A decent road win would have been nice though. I'm not well-versed in BB but based on what I'm seeing it would be cool if they could drive to the basket in the paint more. Go Gators

[tegator80]

Probably the most amazing thing about the article is how thorough it is - and accurate - from a national group.

Perhaps they read GC?:yes:

I will take credit for their insights!

[gator34654]

I hope we're not like sow in the acc in football, play lots of easy games but when we play tuff competition away from the O dome it's O NO. Teams will force us to go inside for points and that is where we are weak. PY is adequate at best as a rebounder and below ave. as a scorer. Murph, is an outside guy with limited skills as post player. When PY is getting rest we are simply a perimeter team.

Accurate take on uf basketball. Count me as not going to be shocked if we are upset early in the ncaa.

[G8R92]

I disagree. This team can go far and ultimately win it all without Yeguete. We missed some open looks and Mizzou gained momentum. It's February - big deal.

I'll take this team and coach against any other team in the NCAA.

[GatorAvatar]

Here's why I think Indiana wins it all: Zeller and

[tegator80]

I disagree. This team can go far and ultimately win it all without Yeguete. We missed some open looks and Mizzou gained momentum. It's February - big deal.

I'll take this team and coach against any other team in the NCAA.

Never said we were going down. The only thing we have pretty much lost is a #1 seed. Otherwise play on. But at this stage of the season you hope they are learning what other teams are capable of and do better when the games are close, as they are probably going to be in the tournament.

Given our recent past and our lack of frontcourt depth, the article is pretty spot on. That isn't to say that Indiana wins the NC, they are flawed and can lose just as easily as us. But the tournament weeds out those who peaked too soon from the talented ones who are playing well. And you eventually run into them coming down the stretch.

[TampaGatorFan]

I disagree. This team can go far and ultimately win it all without Yeguete. We missed some open looks and Mizzou gained momentum. It's February - big deal.

I disagree with you. As tough as Mizzou is at home, with Yeguete, we win last night by double digits. We can plod through the rest of the SEC schedule without him, but come tourney time, we will need a healthy Yeguete to make the Final Four. He's a lockdown defender and key to the press.

[regurgigator]

Well, some of it's contradictory, because you're getting opinions from more than one person. Take for example the differing opinions on who they would want to be the go-to guy for an end-of-game shot.

Also, when they say "play well", it seems like they just mean shoot the ball well. To me, you can have guys playing well even if they're missing their shots.

But, there are a lot of good comments, and interesting to see the take on us from outsiders.

I still like this team's chances in the Tourney due to our defense (particularly with Yeguete back). If we bring the intensity we've shown in our best defensive games, I think we can get most teams well off their offensive game. And, if we do that, we have a chance to survive and advance even if we rely on the three and shoot it poorly.

[UFish]

The notion that we've peaked too early is laughable considering the way Florida teams have played in February dating back to the two national championship teams. Whoever said that has no idea what he's talking about.

Patric Young is also not nearly as foul prone as he used to be but otherwise there's not a lot to argue with in that article. Most of that stuff has already been said on this board.

[TampaGatorFan]

Oh, yeah...stop missing the front end of 1+1s, dammit! It cost us the Zona game, it cost us the game last night, and mark my words, it will cost us a game in the tourney if they don't get it straightened out.

[ReggieNelson]

Oh, yeah...stop missing the front end of 1+1s, dammit! It cost us the Zona game, it cost us the game last night, and mark my words, it will cost us a game in the tourney if they don't get it straightened out.

i really hope not...my tv will be thrown out the window

[jjenkins5]

Totally off topic but that's me in the orange sweater behind Eric :-)

[Ahab]

Great article. Should be required reading.

[InstiGATOR1]

spot on analysis

Not exactly spot on in my view, but a good analysis. Among their mistakes:

1. Prather is an inside player almost as much as Yeguete. Like them and many other UF fans, I thought he would be a perimeter guy, but he is not. He just out quicks other 4s but he is mainly a 4.

2. UF is very physical. Young is physical as they say. Wilbekin is physical. Boynton is physical. Throw in Prather/Yeguete and you have a very physical team.

3. UF shoots far far far few 3s off the break this year than in the past. It is a rare thing partially because UF's guards all can take the ball to the basket. There is no Humphrey for whom a spot up 3 on the break is the best move.

[gatorrick1]

Good article and I agree that we need a healthy WY to really challenge. With him we have as good a big man rotation as their is in college bball.

[tommyuf21]

2. UF is very physical. Young is physical as they say. Wilbekin is physical. Boynton is physical. Throw in Prather/Yeguete and you have a very physical team.


Our big can't always play as aggressive as he would like because we have no depth. Patric has learned to use his body more than his hands and arms and avoid fouls. He has gotten much better and I'm thankful for that. If Patric had as many fouls this year as in the previous two, we would have at least two more losses at this point.

[Ahab]

Not exactly spot on in my view, but a good analysis. Among their mistakes:

1. Prather is an inside player almost as much as Yeguete. Like them and many other UF fans, I thought he would be a perimeter guy, but he is not. He just out quicks other 4s but he is mainly a 4.

2. UF is very physical. Young is physical as they say. Wilbekin is physical. Boynton is physical. Throw in Prather/Yeguete and you have a very physical team.


I would not call Prather physical. He got out-muscled down low several times last night.

[NorthCaptivaGator]

Prather is definitely better at the 4, his offense really struggles at the 3, I wish he would catch and drive more but he doesn't and he won't shoot the three, just passes it around, at the 4 he can rebound and get tip ins.

[108]

says it all

“I would want Wilbekin to have the ball in his hands, because he's going to make the right decision. I don't trust Boynton to make the right decision. Wilbekin is going to find the open man or finish, the right decision.”

[ufgator4ever]

says it all

Ironically though, wilbekin did have the ball in his hands. And passed it to boynton. Right decision?

[gtr2x]

Ironically though, wilbekin did have the ball in his hands. And passed it to boynton. Right decision?

Just goes to show how you can spin an article to support various agendas.

[108]

Ironically though, wilbekin did have the ball in his hands. And passed it to boynton. Right decision?

yea, id have to look at the replay and see why he passed it off so early

driving and throwing it back out to an open Boynton would have been much better than what happened

[tommyuf21]

Scottie just doesn't have the experience and confidence yet to be really aggressive with the ball. He'll take advantage of defensive lapses, and he finishes well in those situations.

I'd rather have that than have someone who is out of control and trying to play above his talent and experience level. That is far more damaging in the win/loss department.

[G8R92]

I disagree with you. As tough as Mizzou is at home, with Yeguete, we win last night by double digits. We can plod through the rest of the SEC schedule without him, but come tourney time, we will need a healthy Yeguete to make the Final Four. He's a lockdown defender and key to the press.

We've lost games WITH and WITHOUT him. There are 1/2 a dozen other areas that we failed at individually and as a team that would have enabled us to beat Mizzou by double digits. Free throw shooting, field goal percentage, leading shooter going 3-11 from the field, etc.

[dakcman]

Never said we were going down. The only thing we have pretty much lost is a #1 seed.

I don't think we're out yet.

After the loss to Mizzou:
Still #1 in Pomeroy
#5 RPI
#2 BPI

We have to finish the season strong, but a #1 seed is still very realistic.

[oneatatime]

Good article and I agree that we need a healthy WY to really challenge. With him we have as good a big man rotation as their is in college bball.

Not sure we need to have him back for Kentucky, but would like to get him in the SEC tournament if for nothing else but timing and conditioning.

He will benefit from the not only the fairly light NCAA tournament schedule, but as the article mentions, the longer timeouts during the games

[gatordd]

I enjoyed it thanks

[ovillegator]

Great summary. Good read.

I think they nailed one big problem -- if we can't depend on someone to score inside with their back to the basket, it makes us live and die by the 3.

Young seems a little flat-footed in there. He knows he's not nimble, but it looks like he's a little afraid of getting called for fouls. He needs to bang it more. He'll score more that way -- might foul out, but might not, and we need the points.

[tegator80]

I don't think we're out yet.

After the loss to Mizzou:
Still #1 in Pomeroy
#5 RPI
#2 BPI

We have to finish the season strong, but a #1 seed is still very realistic.

My opinion is that is the wrong math. The correct math, for whatever reason, is that the SEC is a dog conference this year and we will get the Boise State (or Gonzaga for basketball) treatment. JMHO

[tegator80]

Great summary. Good read.

I think they nailed one big problem -- if we can't depend on someone to score inside with their back to the basket, it makes us live and die by the 3.

Young seems a little flat-footed in there. He knows he's not nimble, but it looks like he's a little afraid of getting called for fouls. He needs to bang it more. He'll score more that way -- might foul out, but might not, and we need the points.

I prefer to think that for whatever reason he gets a case of paralysis by analysis. When he plays against a big name (Noel this year, Sullinger last year) he wants to show that he is just as good and he reacts with passion. What he needs right now is a selfish streak to come on based on the missed opportunities. And there is nothing wrong with humiliating a lesser opponent as long as you have your congratulatory handshake afterwards.