So...my hopes of a deep run are pretty much shot.

[xenythx]

This team doesn't have a Beal or a Parsons that can get us a basket when we really need it. It's a collection of good but very flawed players, especially offensively.

[number1]

Yeah this is where we miss having Bradley Beal.

[mdgator05]

Originally Posted by UFG8rGuy3283

Disagree. We handled adversity most of the season by winning the conference while rarely fully healthy all season.

If you think winning a conference without a single Top 25 team as competition with a few injuries is much in the way of adversity, then that is a pretty soft version of adversity. At this point, people need to stop thinking of the SEC as a major basketball conference this year. Think about it like the WCC. I would say the A-10, but I think that is a much better basketball conference right now.

[born2beagator]

Originally Posted by number1

Yeah this is where we miss having Bradley Beal.

This team would probably be undefeated right now if Beal hadn't been a one and done...

[WESGATORS]

I don't understand why some of the same fans are going through the same shock of realizing what they have already convinced themselves of earlier. What I mean is, if you already had that "oh we can't win close games, we're not going to go far in the tournament" moment already, wouldn't this game have been more of an expected result than a surprise? Yet so many folks seemed surprised by the result and expressing what appears to be a new-found shock about the late game collapse. Just an interesting observation.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

[gatorbogey]

if you guys want to throw in the proverbial towel - do it. sell the gators short. bet against them, make money. predict and early exit for the gators, and get rewarded.

i don't know what the goal of those 'fans' that just relentlessly lambast the team and or coaches is - what is the motive? is this just a defensive mechanism for you or something? lash out at the team that caused you grief when they lose? what is the motivation? did you lose money on them? did the loss tear at your ego? now rival fans will laugh at you because the gators lost? what is it, specifically?

[gatorr4life]

Originally Posted by HALLGATOR

Facts are not excuses unless you choose to see them that way.

Would you like the box scores of all the chokes? Those are facts. So that's a tough place to play, so what. We're a damn good team. You know we should have won that. You're just trying to keep the peace around here. call it like it is, A CHOKE. 7:36 and we can't score ONE basket?!?! Yeah, that's terrible. Does it diminish what we did all year, no. But it's still pathetic. For goodness sake, Young couldn't even make a layup against a guy with FOUR fouls.

Rant over, I'm out for the day.

[UFG8rGuy3283]

Originally Posted by mdgator05

If you think winning a conference without a single Top 25 team as competition with a few injuries is much in the way of adversity, then that is a pretty soft version of adversity. At this point, people need to stop thinking of the SEC as a major basketball conference this year. Think about it like the WCC. I would say the A-10, but I think that is a much better basketball conference right now.

We still won the conference. We probably will still win the conference tourney.

I guess I just don't understand what people expect when you loae your best player from the previous year, battle injuries and win the conference.

That's all I'm saying.

[gatorbogey]

Originally Posted by WESGATORS

I don't understand why some of the same fans are going through the same shock of realizing what they have already convinced themselves of earlier. What I mean is, if you already had that "oh we can't win close games, we're not going to go far in the tournament" moment already, wouldn't this game have been more of an expected result than a surprise? Yet so many folks seemed surprised by the result and expressing what appears to be a new-found shock about the late game collapse. Just an interesting observation.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

excellent and spot-on observation

[JohnC1908]

They'll be cutting nets down in eight days and we'll see a completely different attitude from half the board.

[HALLGATOR]

Originally Posted by gatorr4life

Would you like the box scores of all the chokes? Those are facts. So that's a tough place to play, so what. We're a damn good team. You know we should have won that. You're just trying to keep the peace around here. call it like it is, A CHOKE. 7:36 and we can't score ONE basket?!?! Yeah, that's terrible. Does it diminish what we did all year, no. But it's still pathetic. For goodness sake, Young couldn't even make a layup against a guy with FOUR fouls.

Rant over, I'm out for the day.

I watched the game, so I know what happened. My point was Rupp is a hard place to win in and that is the truth. Doesn't mean we should not have played better but there is a reason teams have a hard time playing in that arena and in shows in their home record.

[UFG8rGuy3283]

Originally Posted by gatorbogey

if you guys want to throw in the proverbial towel - do it. sell the gators short. bet against them, make money. predict and early exit for the gators, and get rewarded.

i don't know what the goal of those 'fans' that just relentlessly lambast the team and or coaches is - what is the motive? is this just a defensive mechanism for you or something? lash out at the team that caused you grief when they lose? what is the motivation? did you lose money on them? did the loss tear at your ego? now rival fans will laugh at you because the gators lost? what is it, specifically?

This is also how I feel. These of guys who work their tails off and won the conference. IMO, they are not beyond constructive.criticism, but the way some people attack them is concerning.

[neisgator]

Originally Posted by HALLGATOR

While I am as frustrated as anyone they just lost in one of the toughest arenas to play in there is.

Against an average team

[mdgator05]

Originally Posted by UFG8rGuy3283

We still won the conference. We probably will still win the conference tourney.

I guess I just don't understand what people expect when you loae your best player from the previous year, battle injuries and win the conference.

That's all I'm saying.

We don't know whether we will win the conference tourney. I certainly wouldn't put money on it at this point, although the weakness of everybody else in conference would stop me from putting money on anybody else either.

And yes we did win the conference. I just think it is important to put that in the proper context given the nearly incredible weakness of what has traditionally been a major conference. Florida was 2-2 against the RPI top 25 out of conference. The rest of the conference was 1-14. Against the RPI 26-50 out of conference, Florida was 1-0, while the rest of the conference was 4-13.

That makes Florida a slightly above average Top 50 team, while everybody else in the conference is flat awful.

[mdgator05]

Originally Posted by HALLGATOR

I watched the game, so I know what happened. My point was Rupp is a hard place to win in and that is the truth. Doesn't mean we should not have played better but there is a reason teams have a hard time playing in that arena and in shows in their home record.

They were 3-2 entering this game at home against the RPI Top 100.

[bullish]

This team had a pulse and we were on the road, but I had hoped with all the disarray of the Kentucky team, we could at least eek out a win. The only thing that will change this is new players. To think we win the SECt, I probably need to talk to Dr. Phil to make sure we are talking about this years Gator team, check my blood to make sure I am not on crack and Kentucky's Cal is not at the tournament.

I do know that 14-4 conf record is great, but it is tainted by how bad the SEC teams started out this year. Kentucky, Missouri and Tenn are playing better, even Georgia. We are struggling to beat average teams and losing when a team has a pulse. The tournament will put the damper on our SEC reg season title. The NCAA tournament, all the teams have a pulse, so according to the draw, I think if we win one we will be lucky. Just the way we are playing.

As for Nashville, everyone in the SEC will be pulling for Kentucky so a big crowd will be in the arena. We, the Gators, have squashed, a lot of proud followers with our recent play. Doesn't bode well. Half court action, close games and we are a long way from home. We have a good draw, but we won't get the title.

Watching these guys on the road make you feel lousy for days, so like today, I will probably scheduled something positive and fun to do than to see another close win slip away. Hopefully Billy will build his team next year for the end of the year and build some depth. This team is physically and emotionally spent.

[NoahBeanBizzel]

Originally Posted by gatorbogey

why would your hopes be dashed? hopes should always be there. you may need to prepare differently or adjust your expectations. hope should always be present, though.

we're still in the process of getting WY back and MF2 back into form.
a road loss at rupp doesn't sink this season at all.
each game is something to build on, learn from and make the necessary adjustments.
we need to find a way to get the win in a tough/close game at the end. like we did vs bama. need to solve that riddle when we're away from home. we haven't done it yet, but that doesn't preclude us from doing it.

It's hard to win road games in college basketball. Obviously it can be done, but it's hard.

But games from here out will be played at a neutral site. Kentucky fans will give the Wildcats somewhat of an advantage in Nashville, but the only tournament that matters will be a completely neutral environment.

Also, people need to keep in mind that this team is in a much better position than it was last year. We knew that even if we had beaten Louisville, there were better, more complete teams in basketball than the Gators. Nobody was going to touch Kentucky last year. This year there isn't a dominant team. It's more like professional baseball, in that the only thing that matters, is who can play the best ball from this point forward.

The score is 0-0 for everybody. Try to enjoy it.

[hoopnscoopuf]

Originally Posted by ufgator4ever

To be fair, they may be improving the art of choking, didn't even score in the last 8 mins. That's a new level even for these seniors.
Honestly, its going to take frazier or a younger player with less experience of failing in these situations to break this mental schnide.

I think you nailed it. Kinda like the relativley (at that time) Jordan breaking Dean Smiths penchant for choking in the big game with the clutch jumper. Just don't see that will-to-win in the starting 5. I think they need to try PY as a 6th man and let Frazier play more.

[GatorLaw]

Originally Posted by gatorbogey

. . . . a road loss at rupp doesn't sink this season at all.
each game is something to build on, learn from and make the necessary adjustments.
. . . .

I agree it doesn't sink the season. But I wouldn't dismiss it quite so lightly considering that it's become a pattern in close road games. How many times must we have these kinds of losses before we learn from them and make the necessary adjustments?

I don't like the term choke and don't use it against Gator teams. But in our last 14 possessions against Ky we had no points and five turnovers. No points is bad enough but turning the ball over an average of slightly more than once every third possession at the most critical time of the game? I don't claim to know a lot about BB but I know that's awful.