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<p>Marquette's Junior Cadougan (5) falls away as he shoots against Florida's Patric Young during the first half of an NCAA men's college basketball tournament West Regional semifinal on Thursday, March 22, 2012, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)</p>

Marquette's Junior Cadougan (5) falls away as he shoots against Florida's Patric Young during the first half of an NCAA men's college basketball tournament West Regional semifinal on Thursday, March 22, 2012, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

PHOENIX – For the past month, Patric Young has become used to playing like his shoes are cemented to the paint.

While the centers of other Elite Eight-bound teams like Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, Kansas' Jeff Withey and Louisville’s Gorgui Dieng have spent their three NCAA Tournament games sending shots into the stands, Young has sacrificed a part of his defensive arsenal to help Florida’s depth without injured forward Will Yeguete.

“I really don’t want to pick up fouls, especially early in the game, because I like to be able to stay in,” Young said. “I’m trying to be smart about it, and I realize if I give up two points that’s not as bad as taking a foul.”

Instead, Young and fellow starter Erik Murphy turn their bodies into 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-11 human walls rather than swatting at shots in the lane, forcing the offensive player they’re guarding to shoot over two outstretched hands.

Though Murphy recorded three blocks Thursday in Florida’s 68-58 win against Marquette, most came from shots simply getting tangled in long arms.

“I don’t think we’re a great shot-blocking team – that’s not really one of our strengths,” Murphy said. “We’re more focused on team defense.”

While No. 7 seed Florida’s big men aren’t necessarily looking for highlight-worthy blocks with a trip to the Final Four on the line Saturday against fourth-seeded Louisville at 4:30 p.m., UF’s guards have been recently playing with a different attitude.

Florida blocked a season-high nine Marquette shots in US Airways Center, with five coming from 6-foot-3 Brad Beal (two blocks), 6-foot-3 Mike Rosario (two blocks) and 6-foot-6 Casey Prather (one block).

“Just hustle plays, basically,” Beal said of how the Gators came up with their best total of the year. “Especially, I like to block shots on the break and try to get back in transition and alter a shot. Casey’s a freak athlete and whenever he blocks a shot, it gives the whole team life.”

The Gators also notched four blocks against Norfolk State but showed with a zero-blocked shot performance in a 71-45 second round win against Virginia that swatting attempts away hasn’t been the key behind their defensive surge in the postseason.

Florida is allowing just 51 points per game through their first three NCAA Tournament games – the fewest of any team left in The Big Dance.

“Casey has really good athleticism and sometimes when he's out of a play he can bring himself back in,” Donovan said. “I wouldn't classify Brad or him shot-blockers. It's not something we need to do. … Those blocks that those guys get were probably more based on their own individual talent and athleticism.”

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While the Gators have found success blocking shots by committee, the Cardinals in comparison have a one-man wrecking crew under the basket in the 6-foot-11 Dieng.

Coming off a career-high-tying seven-block effort against No. 1 seed Michigan State, Dieng has accounted for 12 of Louisville’s 16 blocked shots in the tournament.

Dieng’s 128 blocks on the season are a school record and are seven more than Florida has as a team the entire year.

“We went up against the best shot-blocker in the country this year in Anthony Davis, and the key is to get into their bodies,” Young said. “You can’t get too aggressive and pick up a charge trying to bang into a guy and then going up, because guys like Deng are really smart in understanding refs are looking for that kind of thing underneath.”

Contact John Boothe at jboothe@alligator.org.

Marquette's Junior Cadougan (5) falls away as he shoots against Florida's Patric Young during the first half of an NCAA men's college basketball tournament West Regional semifinal on Thursday, March 22, 2012, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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