Anybody else find it odd that....

[Goose]

.....just about every single media 'expert' is picking Florida to win tonight AND Monday... They have 4 future NBA players as starters...when they are 'on' they are unbeatable....all the experience from last year.....confidence by blowing out UCLA last time they played...nobody can match the inside/outside game...blah, blah, blah.

Yet, the line is modest and has not moved one inch. Strange? :shrug:

I smell something fishy.... Give me a strong defense, and 1 week to prepare for Howland...against a coach that is in every other coaching vacancy headline, and a team that has had some trouble taking care of the basketball....

UCLA +3

While we're at it, give me the Buckeyes too! Evenly matched squads--but I'm hoping G'town shot their wad against the Heels last week.. Plus, OSU has revenge from last year's dance.

Either way, should be a good night of hoops.

Good Luck!
Goose

 

[OMAR]

nothing fishy, but the bait IS on the hook

nothing fishy, but the bait IS on the hook

Listening to the talking heads on tv and radio this week, the consensus seems to be that despite losing Farmar off last year's squad, UCLA might be a better team this year. They play better defense, etc. Fair enough.

On the other side is Florida, and they ARE better than last year for sure. Brewer, Noah and Humphrey are about the same players they were last year, while Green and Horford have improved greatly, and the players off the bench are better.

Florida's had an easy road in the tourney thus far, and hasn't been impressive. In the SEC tourney, the Gators steamrolled teams. In the big dance, they're doing just enough to win. I'd say the line is low because if you'd watched the Gators in the NCAA tourney, you wouldn't have come away very impressed.

As for giving the UCLA coach a week to prepare..... what about the Florida coach? He doesn't prepare as well?

No starting five have ever won back to back championships. I don't know how many have had the opportunity, but it's rare to run across a "team" this good, and that makes all the difference to me. Granted, I don't know as much about the UCLA players, but this Florida group is special.

 

[addikted]

Good luck, and a couple good points. Kind of reminds me of the football national championship, which had the Buckeyes with all kinds of nfl talent and all, who end up getting blown out. Not that I think Florida will get blown out tonight by any means, hell I still think they win, but I could see them winning by a duece and Vegas grinning from ear to ear because once again they nailed the public. Then again that's why it's called gambling.

GLA!!

 

[el JB]

Think Vegas if gambling

Think Vegas if gambling

IF i learned one thing from all my gambling years is....if it looks like a duck quacks has feathers and stays afloat on a pond it IS A RHINO....
SO WHY NOT THINK vegas is at it again:142smilie

 

[Goose]

Yep...a late bucket to win by 2 would not surprise me in the least! Part of me would love to see the Bucks have a shot at redemprion against Florida...part of me is scared to death of it.:shrug:

Good points too, Omar... Not saying that Donovan doesn't prepare well. All I am saying is that last year, Howland had ONE NIGHT to prepare for the Gators and had his a$$ handed to him. Wayyyy too many inside points and chippies. Now that he has a week to concoct some sort of gameplan, I just figure that he will have his team better prepared. Donovan has alot on his plate right now--with Kentucky and possibly the Heat calling. I'm sure he will have his team ready too, it's just not nearly as difficult to prepare for UCLA as it is Florida--as last year's Final attests. Howland maybe one of the more underrated coaches in America. How many times have we heard HIS name this week, as opposed to Billy the Kid???

I could be dead wrong with taking the points...but then again, I guess I would rather be going against the grain than with it?!?! It would not surprise me to see the number climb to 3 1/2 or 4 at game time. No chance in the world it will fall below 3........so I am waiting to the end to take my shot.

Good Luck!

 

[OMAR]

I think there could be some late line movement, but only a point. Florida played lights out at the Georgia Dome a few weeks ago, so I'd say it's more of a home court for the Gators. Humphry seems to shoot well in this building, and obviously he's a key to the game. I would think the crowd would be 50/50 as tickets are just too difficult to obtain for any team to have a real advantage.

In the NCAA, Florida has been turning the ball over quite a bit. That could be a problem again with Collison on Green.

Also, it's tough to say what the refs are going to do. So far, I feel the refs have been very very kind to Florida. I'm sure Butler and Oregon fans are still mad about some of the calls.

There's also been a disturbing trend of players easliy getting to the tin. Seems if you get close enough to the rim, Florida just lets you lay it in the bucket. No challenge. Perhaps it's a way of staying out of foul trouble, but there's been countless easy baskets for Florida's opponents in recent games.

 

[bryanz]

This is a totally different UCLA team. No Farmer,Hollins or Bozeman. All look at me guys, gone by-bye. That's a huge plus right there. The key to this UCLA TEAM is that, they have 6 guys that were there in the final game last year and all played key rolls on this years team to get back to this point. Plus you add Shipp . He did not play in last years tournament. This guy is the MVP. If Fla plays this game like they played Oregon (18 to's ) forget about it. NO chance ! Brewer better get his head out of his ass. If you think UCLA has a chance, the under is the way to go. If Fla doesn't win, it's going to be on Brewer. It looked like he was throwing the Ore game. He wasn't, that's how bad he played. That 1/2 ass performance won't cut it tonight. I posted Fla against Ore and got the lucky cover. If Oregon's Porter didn't go 0 for 10, we may not be talking about Fla in this game.

 

[Rainman007]

i might be having a huge pick tonight on the ohio state/georgetown game! The money is coming strong on one of these teams, hopefully it stays that way.

 

[bryanz]

Keys to beating Fla : you have to be a physical team, rotate and help quick, have to be quick inside- quick feet, bang people. That's the UCLA profile. Have to cut the head off. That's Brewer & Humphrey. Can't let these guys win. Humphrey is easy, he scored 6 pts against Butler and Purdue because they put a body on him an took him out early. Oregon went soft and he got 23. Not going to happen tonight. Brewer is a turn over waiting to happen. I don't know how I missed it but his Dad has been very sick. Maybe that's what was on his mind the other day. I don't think he's going to play well against the physical style of the Bruins tonight. Fla will get there's inside, you can't give them both and I feel very confident UCLA can handle the backcourt. I asked before the Kansas game if they would get 60 ? Whats the over/ under for FLA ?

 

[pt1gard]

lets look at FLorida last 3 games (and I have them to win it all from Nov) purdue, basically tied in last 2-3 mins; Butler lead with 4 mins; OR played side by side them for 35 mins with no inside presence ... that said UCLA of the 4 teams has played the most consistent ball IMO ... GTWN is damn good, OH ST has the monster and lewis and conley ... to pick this for one winner might be a diff. team on 4 diff scenarios played out, i.e. a diff champ 1 outta 4 times, would not shock me.

I like UCLA to win it all, posted it last sunday night; just always take the D

gl, gregg