Gators have rewarded Golden for his wait and see attitude

(UAA Photo)

“Don't believe something just because you didn't read it in the papers. Wait until you haven't seen it on television.” – Walt Kelly

Back on January 4, the day after the Gators lost their Southeastern Conference opener to Missouri, you didn’t have to look far or wide to find an expert ready to write off Florida’s chances to repeat as national champions. The Gators were 9-5 at the time and all five losses seemed to follow the same script – too many missed 3-pointers, too many turnovers, too many blown opportunities to make winning plays at crunch time.  

Todd Golden couldn’t disagree with the reasons why the Gators had five losses by a combined 17 points, but if he was frustrated, he wasn’t letting it show in his public demeanor. Far from it. He preached wait-and-see confidently, something you can do when you’ve won a national championship before your 40^th birthday.

Patience and confidence have been rewarded. The Gators are 16-1 since the Missouri loss. Thirteen of the 16 wins are by at least 13 points. The most significant improvement has been 3-point shooting. For the season, the Gators are making just 31.3 percent of their threes, but in the last five games they are 43-99, which is 43.4 percent. The Gators have made eight threes in each of the last four.

Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee, who were subject to much of the criticism in Florida’s five losses prior to their run through the SEC, are making shots, setting up teammates and play outstanding defense. Fland, who was overlooked for the All-SEC defensive team, has made 9-17 from three in his last five games. In his last eight, Lee is making 14-37, which is 37.8 percent. Off the bench, Urban Klavzar, the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, is making 40.6 percent for the season, and Isaiah Brown 35.4 percent.

The big guys – Tommy Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten – make up the best front court in the country. Haugh leads the Gators at 17.2 points per game while turning into a solid 34.4 percent 3-point shooter. Chinyelu leads the country in rebounding (11.7 per game), while Condon has gone beast mode the last six games (20.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists) and Handlogten remains the most reliable rebounder off the bench in the SEC.

Golden, selected SEC Coach of the Year by both the league’s coaches and the Associated Press, has transformed Florida into a team that might be playing better than any team in the country when it counts the most. The Gators have a max of nine games remaining – three in the SEC Tournament in Nashville; six in the NCAA – and the way they are playing it doesn’t require a stretch of the imagination to believe they will be the last team standing on the first Monday night in April.

Haugh was first team by both Coaches and Associated Press. Chinyelu was first team AP, second team Coaches. Condon made third team Coaches, second team AP.

Associated Press All-SEC

First Team

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas; Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama; Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt; Tommy Haugh, Florida; Rueben Chinyelu, Florida

Second Team

Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State; Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee; Dailyn Swain, Texas; Nate Ament, Tennessee; Alex Condon, Florida

Player of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Coach of the Year: Todd Golden, Florida

Freshman of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Newcomer of the Year: Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee

Coaches All-SEC

First Team

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas; Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee; Thomas Haugh, Florida; Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama; Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt

Second Team

Nate Ament, Tennessee; Rueben Chinyelu, Florida; Mark Mitchell, Missouri; Otega Oweh, Kentucky; Dailyn Swain, Texas

Third Team

Rashaun Agee, Texas A&M; Alex Condon, Florida; Keyshawn Hall, Auburn; Aden Holloway, Alabama; Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State

All-Defensive Team

Rueben Chinyelu, Florida; Somto Cyril, Georgia; Felix Okpara, Tennessee; Billy Richmond III, Arkansas; Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt

All-Freshman Team

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas; Amari Allen, Alabama; Nate Ament, Tennessee; Malachi Moreno, Kentucky; Meleek Thomas, Arkansas

Coach of the Year: Todd Golden, Florida

Player of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Rueben Chinyelu, Florida

Newcomer of the Year: Dailyn Swain, Texas

Freshman of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Sixth-Man of the Year: Urban Klavzar, Florida

Defensive Player of the Year: Rueben Chinyelu, Florida

Associated Press top 25: 1. Duke 29-2; 2. Arizona 29-2; 3. Michigan 29-2; 4. FLORIDA 25-6; 5. Houston 26-5; 6. UConn 27-4; 7. Iowa State 25-6; 8. Michigan State 25-6; 9. Illinois 24-7; 10. Virginia 27-4; 11. Nebraska 26-5; 12. Gonzaga 28-3; 13. St. John’s 25-6; 14. Kansas 22-9; 15. Alabama 23-8; 16. Texas Tech 22-9; 17. Arkansas 23-8; 18. Purdue 23-8; 19. North Carolina 24-7; 20. Miami (OH) 31-0; 21. Saint Mary’s 27-4; 22. Vanderbilt 24-7; 23. Wisconsin 22-9; 24. Louisville 22-9; 25. Tennessee 21-10

Coaches top 25: 1. Duke 29-2; 2. Arizona 29-2; 3. Michigan 29-2; 4. FLORIDA 25-6; 5. Houston 26-5; 6. UConn 27-4; 7. Iowa State 25-6; 8. Michigan State 25-6; 9. Illinois 24-7; 10. Nebraska 26-5; 11. Virginia 27-4; 12. Gonzaga 28-3; 13. St. John’s 25-6; 14. Texas Tech 22-9; 15. Alabama 23-8; 16. Kansas 22-9; 17. Arkansas 23-8; 18. Purdue 23-8; 19. North Caolina 24-7; 20. Miami (OH) 24-7; 21. Saint Mary’s 27-4; 22. Vanderbilt 24-7; 23. Wisconsin 22-9; 24. Louisville 22-9; 25. Miami (FL) 24-7

SEC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 11

1. No. 9 Kentucky (19-12, 10-8 SEC) vs. No. 16 LSU (15-16, 3-15 SEC)

2. No. 12 Oklahoma (17-14, 7-11 SEC) vs. No. 13 Mississippi State (13-18, 5-13 SEC)

3. No. 10 Texas (18-13, 9-9 SEC) vs. No. 15. Ole Miss (12-19, 4-14 SEC)

4. No. 11 Auburn (16-15, 7-11 SEC) vs. No. 14 South Carolina (13-18, 4-14 SEC)

Thursday, March 12

5. No. 8 Georgia (22-9, 10-8 SEC) vs. Winner game 1

6. No. 5 Tennessee (21-10, 11-7 SEC) vs. Winner game 2

7. No. 7 Missouri (20-11, 10-8 SEC) vs. Winner game 3

8. No. 6 Texas A&M (21-10, 11-7 SEC) vs. Winner game 4

Friday, March 13 (Quarterfinals)

9. No. 1 FLORIDA (25-6, 16-2) vs. Winner game 5

10. No. 4 Vanderbilt (24-7, 11-7 SEC) vs. Winner game 6

11. No. 2 Alabama (23-8, 13-5 SEC) vs. Winner game 7

12. No. 1 Arkansas (23-8, 13-5 SEC) vs. Winner game 8

Saturday, March 14 (Semifinals)

13. Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner

14. Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner

Sunday, March 15

Championship game

Top 25 plus SEC kenpom.com: 1. Duke; 2. Michigan; 3. Arizona; 4. FLORIDA; 5. Illinois; 6. Houston; 7. Iowa State; 8. Purdue; 9. Michigan State; 10. Gonzaga; 11. UConn; 12. Nebraska; 13. Vanderbilt; 14. Tennessee; 15. Louisville; 16. Alabama; 17. Texas Tech; 18. Arkansas; 19. Kansas; 20. Virginia; 21. St. John’s; 22. Saint Mary’s; 23. Wisconsin; 24. Iowa; 25. BYU (SEC: 27. Kentucky; 31. Georgia; 33. Texas; 35. Texas A&M; 39. Auburn; 50. Missouri; 62. LSU; 81. Ole Miss; 95. South Carolina; 100. Mississippi State

Top 25 plus SEC barttorvik.com: 1. Michigan; 2. Duke; 3. FLORIDA; 4. Arizona; 5. Houston; 6. Illinois; 7. UConn; 8. Purdue; 9. Iowa State; 10. Michigan State; 11. Texas Tech; 12. Tennessee; 13. Gonzaga; 14. Louisville; 15. Kansas; 16. Virginia; 17. Nebraska; 18. Vanderbilt; 19. Alabama; 20. Arkansas; 21. St. John’s; 22. Wisconsin; 23. Ohio State; 24. Saint Mary’s; 25. Iowa (SEC: 32. Texas A&M; 33. Kentucky; 35. Georgia; 41. Texas; 42. Auburn; 45. Missouri; 46. Oklahoma; 72. LSU; 76. Ole Miss; 97. Mississippi State; 105. South Carolina)

SEC in ESPN (Joe Lunardi) brackets

East: 1. Duke; 2. Michigan State; 3. Iowa State; 4. Texas Tech (SEC: 5. Arkansas; 8. Georgia)

South: 1. FLORIDA; 2. Houston; 3. Nebraska; 4. Virginia (SEC: 10. Missouri; 11. Auburn)

Midwest: 1. Michigan; 2. UConn; 3. Purdue; 4. Kansas (SEC: 5. Vanderbilt; 7. Kentucky)

West: 1. Arizona; 2. Illinois; 3. Alabama; 4. Gonzaga (5. Tennessee; 9. Texas A&M; 10. Texas)

SEC in CBS brackets

East: 1. Duke; 2. Michigan State; 3. Nebraska; 4. Texas Tech (SEC: 6. Tennessee; 7. Georgia)

South: 1. FLORIDA; 2. Houston; 3. Purdue; 4. Virginia (SEC: 10. Texas)

Midwest: 1. Michigan; 2. UConn; 3. Iowa State; 4. Vanderbilt (SEC: 8. Kentucky)

West: 1. Arizona; 2. Illinois; 3. Alabama; 4. Gonzaga (SEC: 5. Arkansas; 10. Texas A&M; 11. Missouri)