- Winning can cure anything, even if you win by three points after holding a 17-point lead in the second half. In terms of play, I don't think the Gators can really take anything away from their 85-82 win. They shot 58%, but allowed South Carolina to shoot 50% or better from the field and from 3-point range. Against a better team, they lose.
- But with this team, a win is a win. The starting five all scored in double digits, including Speights' 10-and-10. Calathes led the team with 17 points and had only three turnovers to seven assists. My favorite player, Dan Werner, was 3-5 from the arc and scored 15. His three at 2:11 in the second half was the last bucket the Gators scored in the game. The team has Saturday off and faces Georgia in Athens on Wednesday.
- By the way, the attendance last night was 11,789. Come on people! A few losses and you fall off the Bandwagon? But if you're not going to the Mississippi State game, let me know at alligatorarmy@gmail.com. I'll take the tix.
- Since I still think I'm in college, here's Governor Charlie ripping the Florida college presidents.
- The state university system may look bad, but Florida produced at least one quality kid last year; Corey Brewer. It is an absolutely tremendous article about what he has experienced in the NBA (still a hell of a defender, needs to work on offense) but how he is supporting his mother and ailing father. For a kid at that station in life, to turn down the NBA for one more season of a college life, should never be forgotten. There is also this;
Just like Horford, Noah and Green, Brewer still feels the pull of UF. It's refreshing because I think of some college players as sort of mercenaries just out for the best way to go pro. Who knows how many kids pick their school because they truly love it? But the Oh-fours, like nearly every Florida student in this decade, are damn proud they are Gators.