2024-25 Basketball,,, all things considered...

[ocalaman]

Thomas Haugh got called for 2 early fouls and sat out most of the first half. Never got his game really untracked tonight. Plus, Denzel Aberdeen had a rough night shooting. But the rest of the team stepped up and they trouned Oklahoma anyway. The job the coaches have done making improvement with all of these guys and getting them to buy in to the team concept and playing together for each other is amazing. Two examples - Haugh was a 45% free throw shooter last year; this year he at 83%. Urban Klavzar started the season barely playing and when he did he was just a spot up 3 point shooter. The last few times he's gotten playing time, he's playing hard-nosed defense and driving to the baqsket, plus hit open 3's when given the chance. This team is really special.

FINAL: No. 2 Florida 85, Oklahoma 63 - Florida Gators

A quick breakdown of Tuesday night's rout of the Sooners at the O'Dome.

floridagators.com

 

[NavigatorII]

Before Urban Klavzar came into his own, Golden only went with Haugh, Alexis and Aberdeen off the bench. Now we wait for Condon to heal.

What's amazing in these days and times is that the guys who aren't getting all the playing time and glory are still contributing and when sitting on the pine are rooting for their team mates like they are kinfolks. That's not something you can fake in front of cameras.

 

[gatordad3]

What's amazing in these days and times is that the guys who aren't getting all the playing time and glory are still contributing and when sitting on the pine are rooting for their team mates like they are kinfolks. That's not something you can fake in front of cameras.

Against the Cocks, even our best players kept feeding Aberdeen the ball as he was on fire, unlike Kalim’s stupid Groper Joe is on fire thread.

 

[gatordad3]

Urby is a rising star. I like what I see.

I initially had my doubts about Urban earlier this season, especially when it comes to defense but it shows on the court how hard he worked to improve on every part of his game.

 

[46885]

The rest of the nation/casuals are starting to take a large notice at what the Gators are doing.. You keep waiting for them to have a slip up game like Mizzou and first SC game, but then when last game Aberdeen and Haugh have career highs and carry the load.. the next game our big 3 guards have 11, 11 and 8 combined at half. It could literally be anyone from one night to the next. 5 guys scored in double figures again, I'm just trying to enjoy watching them play because we all know it could end any minute next month.. It was hard to let yourself enjoy the 06-07 and 2014 teams because they were so dominant and had huge expectations. This team is like a little of all our Final Four teams, Billy's first one from 2000 with how deep they are and could get points from anywhere, and the 04's with how they just play great team ball all around.. but the 2014 team they really strike a comparing to my eye, they aren't as good as that team was but that's what makes this team so much fun. That team was #1 for like 3 months straight and got the #1 overall seed and it ended in heartbreak in Dallas.

It was hard to watch Scottie not be full for that Uconn game in final four and that team just deserved it and it was one of the hardest games to accept in my lifetime, much like the 09 SEC Championship game with Tebow.. I really want this group to have that run, with Taurean on the bench and Lee over there on the call.. Martin has been there so that helps the rest of the guys psyche, I think he'll make a critical play in a big moment for us in the tournament. They just deserve it, and Micah coming back shows how unselfish they all are, they want to do something special together.

 

[Gator Fever]

The rest of the nation/casuals are starting to take a large notice at what the Gators are doing.. You keep waiting for them to have a slip up game like Mizzou and first SC game, but then when last game Aberdeen and Haugh have career highs and carry the load.. the next game our big 3 guards have 11, 11 and 8 combined at half. It could literally be anyone from one night to the next. 5 guys scored in double figures again, I'm just trying to enjoy watching them play because we all know it could end any minute next month.. It was hard to let yourself enjoy the 06-07 and 2014 teams because they were so dominant and had huge expectations. This team is like a little of all our Final Four teams, Billy's first one from 2000 with how deep they are and could get points from anywhere, and the 04's with how they just play great team ball all around.. but the 2014 team they really strike a comparing to my eye, they aren't as good as that team was but that's what makes this team so much fun. That team was #1 for like 3 months straight and got the #1 overall seed and it ended in heartbreak in Dallas.

It was hard to watch Scottie not be full for that Uconn game in final four and that team just deserved it and it was one of the hardest games to accept in my lifetime, much like the 09 SEC Championship game with Tebow.. I really want this group to have that run, with Taurean on the bench and Lee over there on the call.. Martin has been there so that helps the rest of the guys psyche, I think he'll make a critical play in a big moment for us in the tournament. They just deserve it, and Micah coming back shows how unselfish they all are, they want to do something special together.

UConn after that initial game was pretty good in that tournament though and did beat us in a close game on their court in the regular season. I don't remember exactly but I think that was about the year that guard play started winning most of the tournaments and the big guys had less influence. Glad we got the Final Four appearance at least. We are a well rounded team but if we don't win it all my guess is it will be a loss where our guards as a group just weren't hitting that day.

 

[Nicktheslick]

UConn after that initial game was pretty good in that tournament though and did beat us in a close game on their court in the regular season. I don't remember exactly but I think that was about the year that guard play started winning most of the tournaments and the big guys had less influence. Glad we got the Final Four appearance at least. We are a well rounded team but if we don't win it all my guess is it will be a loss where our guards as a group just weren't hitting that day.

I have noticed that coach Golden makes subs as soon as he sees a player struggling. Then when he returns it usually turns around.

 

[Nicktheslick]

And what a luxury we have now with our depth. Clayton went out for good last night with over 10 minutes remaining. When the tournament grind begins our guy should be more refreshed than most.

 

[instaGATOR]

That U-Glee win over OK was the definition of 'playing down to the level of competition.'
It was hard to watch for me...

Play like that against A&M and they'll get their asses handed to them.....

 

[gatordad3]

This is where I'm happy to be wrong about Urban Klavzar.

 

[Gator Fever]

This is where I'm happy to be wrong about Urban Klavzar.

View embedded media

Looking like the tapes of him playing showed before he played for us.

 

[Gator Fever]

That U-Glee win over OK was the definition of 'playing down to the level of competition.'
It was hard to watch for me...

Play like that against A&M and they'll get their asses handed to them.....

Like Auburn handed it to us on their home court? I think from this point on the Gators will be ready. If we lose I think it will be good games and not like the @TN loss.

 

[instaGATOR]

gd3, I expected Urb to be pretty good from the start. I just didn't think that he'd get much playing time this season. I will say that now that he is getting playing time, he's actually doing better on both ends of the court that I expected him to be this quick. And there are actually a few others not getting playing time right now that may eventually turn out to be pretty good too...

fever - I'm hoping that the Gators play up to and beyond the level of their opponent vs A&M.

 

[GatorGray]

That U-Glee win over OK was the definition of 'playing down to the level of competition.'
It was hard to watch for me...

Play like that against A&M and they'll get their asses handed to them.....

They were up by 26 with about 10 min left and Golden started pulling the starters. They ultimately won by 22... and that is considered an ugly win?