MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Billy Donovan and the Gators know a thing or two about shattering glass slippers.
During the heyday of the Florida Gators basketball program, coach Billy Donovan strung together 18 straight postseason wins — the most in the NCAA since John Wooden’s UCLA squad conquered 28 in a row en route to seven consecutive championships back in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
When UCLA’s Kyle Anderson takes the ball down the court, he usually towers over his primary defender.
When Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins and Doug McDermott failed, the rest of their teammates suffered the consequences. Duke, Kansas and Creighton were all favored heavily in their NCAA Tournament matchups, but each one stumbled in the Round of 32 after their stars underperformed in the spotlight.
ORLANDO — The rims in the Amway Center were not Michael Frazier II’s best friends last weekend.
ORLANDO — After Scottie Wilbekin failed to impress throughout his team’s lackluster win against No. 16 seed Albany on Thursday, the senior point guard took it as a personal challenge to elevate his game.
ORLANDO — In a game where he scored just seven points, missed eight of his 11 shots and went to the free-throw line only twice, Patric Young still found a way to be a dominant force for the Gators.
ORLANDO — With the game tied at 39 with just more than 14 minutes to play, Florida was faced with the daunting possibility of becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed in NCAA Tournament history.
ORLANDO — Sitting at their lockers a foot apart from one another, Scottie Wilbekin and Michael Frazier II had the same look of dejection on their face.
Today, No. 1 seed Florida will begin what Joakim Noah once called the “purest form of sports:” the NCAA Tournament.
No. 1 seed Florida (32-2, 18-0 SEC)
From its 26-game winning streak to its undefeated Southeastern Conference record, Florida has knocked down barriers and accomplished feats no other team has ever done.
ATLANTA — Standing at the free-throw line on the front end of a one-and-one with 23 seconds on the clock and Florida ahead of Kentucky 61-60, Scottie Wilbekin took three dribbles, bent down and released his shot.
ATLANTA – When Scottie Wilbekin slumped down in his chair in the dimly lit press-conference room located in the bowels of the Jacksonville Memorial Arena on Nov. 25, he did not look like a winner.
ATLANTA — After the confetti fell and the nets were cut, Florida learned its spot in the NCAA Tournament.
ATLANTA — After scoring a team-high 13 points in the first half of Florida’s semifinal matchup with Tennessee, Scottie Wilbekin was almost nonexistent in the second half in terms of point production.
ATLANTA — With the first half in the books and Florida trailing 35-28 against Tennessee, coach Billy Donovan harped on one message during his halftime speech.
ATLANTA — Before No. 1 seed Florida cruised past eighth-seeded Missouri 72-49 on Friday in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals, it had struggled for almost 30 minutes to pull away.
The last time Florida faced off against Missouri, Chris Walker was getting cheers for just walking to the scorer’s table, Dorian Finney-Smith had just begun the worst shooting month of his career and the Gators were only halfway through their historic Southeastern Conference run.
For Dorian Finney-Smith, Atlanta brings back plenty of unpleasant memories.
Solutions by The State News
