Official Final: #5 Florida-64 vs #8 Arizona-65., Saturday, 10:00 PM, ESPN

[TampaGatorFan]

Enjoy the home cookin', Zona...

[Gator40]

Outscored 24-13 in the final 11 minutes or so. That hurts big time.

[gatormoe1]

I'm not concerned, we are the better team and will be going further in the tourney. If not for the refs, we win this by 15. Lets fix the inbound issue and head to the next opponent.

I beg.... BEG the committee to give us Arizona in the tournament if they make it... I would love to see a double digit win without the obvious home cooking.

[diamondted13]

I try not to over-react to one game, especially in December. This team, however, is fatally flawed. Those that say this game won't matter come March are not accounting for the cumulative effect on the team's psyche when you combine this loss with the way the previous two years have ended. Especially since (as many have accurately pointed out) the team will have precious few opportunities to play an opponent of this caliber. Pulling one out late against Miss St, UGA, Vandy, et al. won't erase the memories of this game and the Elite Eight losses.

This is a veteran team. Every rotation player (minus Frazier) was around for Butler, Louisville, and now this game. While I wouldn't call Butler a choke job (especially considering the refs con job), they did fail to close out a game that they had controlled throughout. Louisville last year was more of a complete collapse (i.e. choke job) in a game they had all but put away. This game, while not in the same hemisphere in terms of importance, was an even bigger collapse, with the team failing to execute (over and over and over) the most basic of basketball plays...the inbounds pass. Mix in a missed one-and-one from a 90% FT shooter in the midst of it all and, well, if you saw it I don't need to explain. It was awful and all the bitching about the refs can't disguise the gag job.

Short of winning a game close and late at Kentucky, or possibly Mizzou, I don't see this team being able to establish a "Closer's" mentality while getting the huge late-game monkey off their back. And I mean a nail biter game where they actually execute in the final minute...not hang on for dear life or win by 10. It's unfortunate that the SEC is shaping up to be historically bad. I think we win a ton of games and enter the tourney as a top 4 seed or better. But without winning a truly meaningful close game, I see this team caving under the pressure come tourney time, especially since we lack a guy who is great with the ball in his hands.

[gatormoe1]

You say that you try not to overreact then proceed to overreact. Awesome.

[diamondted13]

Originally Posted by gatormoe1

You say that you try not to overreact then proceed to overreact. Awesome.

Please point out where I overreacted. I stated that I think we will win a ton of games and get a high seed in the NCAA tournament. I just won't have a lot of confidence in this team after the first weekend of the tournament, when history would indicate that they will have to execute both offensively and defensively in the final minute of a one possession game. I don't think the SEC schedule will give this team enough opportunities to clear the mental hurdles that have kept them from reaching the previous 2 Final Fours.

[gatormoe1]

"Fatally flawed" "Wont win a close game"

Thats overreacting. Teams lose games, the 04s went through a rough stretch, this is basketball where teams that arent as good as you can beat you easily if you have an off night and they are on fire.

[diamondted13]

"Fatally flawed" may sound a bit dramatic, but I don't think this is a Final 4 team. I'm not saying their season will be an utter failure. But let's face it, their goal is to get over that hump that is the Elite Eight. And I never said they won't win a close game. That's drastically over-simplifying what I posted. But thanks for explaining that basketball teams lose games from time to time. I will make a note of that.

[gatormoe1]

Originally Posted by diamondted13

"Fatally flawed" may sound a bit dramatic, but I don't think this is a Final 4 team. I'm not saying their season will be an utter failure. But let's face it, their goal is to get over that hump that is the Elite Eight. And I never said they won't win a close game. That's drastically over-simplifying what I posted. But thanks for explaining that basketball teams lose games from time to time. I will make a note of that.

If we were Elite 8 last year, and are by all accounts (media and fans) a better team this year, with no real teams that are too good or absolutely elite, why aren't we a Final four team?

[diamondted13]

Because you have to win close games against teams with similar talent. What exactly have you seen in our last two close games against teams with similar talent that will give you confidence come March? Unless you are that much better than everybody you play (and the Gators won't be), you have to win super tight games. I hope to God they prove me wrong this year. But how do you watch tonight's game and not think the problem was between their ears in the last minute?

[GatorKP]

Originally Posted by Gator40

Outscored 24-13 in the final 11 minutes or so. That hurts big time.

**
Looked eerily similar to Butler and Louisville. When we play great teams, someone's got to step up late when the other guy makes a huge run. Fortunately, this was early in the season so we still have plenty of time to prepare. I think we'll be okay.

[Swampmaster]

not inbounding, not playing defense and not shooting has nothing to do with refs.

[rounds]

Neither does missing last minute free throws. Make 'em or lose every time!

[phideltdj]

So is Indiana a fatally flawed team because they lost in OT to Butler

[gatorbogey]

butler wasn't even ranked and that was a neutral site.
we lost to a top 10 team, on the road.
i think every team is fatally flawed in some way.

[diamondted13]

The way Indiana lost and the way the Gators lost are very, very different if you watched both games. The Gators dominated from the opening tip and completely fell apart in the final 70 seconds, while Indiana/Butler was back and forth, and actually included a comeback by Indiana at the end of regulation. Indiana does not have the cloud of back to back Elite Eight collapses on their resume. Lastly, Indiana will have countless opportunities to play in close games against elite teams.

For a veteran team like Florida to lose the way they did is disconcerting to say the least. Especially when considering how the previous 2 seasons ended. I would be more understanding if this was a really young team (like Kentucky, for example), but Florida might be the most experienced team in the Top 25.

[gatorbogey]

so, all is lost?

[NorthCaptivaGator]

Originally Posted by diamondted13

The way Indiana lost and the way the Gators lost are very, very different if you watched both games. The Gators dominated from the opening tip and completely fell apart in the final 70 seconds, while Indiana/Butler was back and forth, and actually included a comeback by Indiana at the end of regulation. Indiana does not have the cloud of back to back Elite Eight collapses on their resume. Lastly, Indiana will have countless opportunities to play in close games against elite teams.

For a veteran team like Florida to lose the way they did is disconcerting to say the least. Especially when considering how the previous 2 seasons ended. I would be more understanding if this was a really young team (like Kentucky, for example), but Florida might be the most experienced team in the Top 25.

Lol Indiana hasn't been in two consecutive elite 8's to lose

[lean_gator]

LOL @ all the panicking and overreacting in here. Yesterday b4 the game, we were calling this team the best in the nation. Now after a 1 point loss in December to a top 10 team on their home court with a little help from the refs and all off a sudden we suck and cant accomplish any of our season goals? LOL again. We have some things we need to work on but geez people.

[The_Graygator]

Totally forgot about this game after a minor medical emergency concerning my mom last night, but all is well now.

I didn't get to watch what the refs did, but a one-point loss against a quality opponent across the country on the road isn't the end of the season.

We have a great team and we'll rebound from this.