Billy Donovan was not sent from heaven to coach Florida’s basketball team. He is no miracle worker, magic healer or instant fix. On Saturday, he and the No. 1 seeded Gators will appear in their fourth Final Four in 14 seasons, but it took years for Donovan to turn water into wine.
Shabazz Napier has more All-Conference First-Team selections than Scottie Wilbekin. He has more career points than Patric Young and Will Yeguete combined. He had more minutes on the court in just his freshman year than Casey Prather had in nearly three years of action.
When people talk about Connecticut, the attention generally focuses on Shabazz Napier — the Huskies’ leading scorer and one of the most dynamic talents in the nation. But another player on UConn coach Kevin Ollie’s roster has stepped up in a big way for his team in the postseason.
Billy Donovan has seen his team accomplish a lot this season.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — All eyes were on Scottie Wilbekin as the clock ticked.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — No. 1 seed Florida’s defense looked as stout as ever heading into halftime against No. 11 seed Dayton on Saturday.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As Scottie Wilbekin dribbled out the final seconds remaining on the clock, Patric Young held his head in disbelief while Will Yeguete embraced him. At the same time, Casey Prather yelled a cry of joy, bolting to the floor and then chest-bumping teammate Dorian Finney-Smith.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Heading into its Sweet 16 matchup against UCLA on Thursday in Memphis, Tenn., Florida’s bench struggled to contribute consistently during the early part of the postseason.
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.
Solutions by The State News
