Ohio State vs. Florida For The Championship

[Diamondback Jay]

No, I'm not bumping an old thread from January, with the setting being here.

For the first time in NCAA history, the same teams will meet in both the college basketball championship game and the college football championship game as the Buckeyes will try to avenge the beating they took on the gridiron by facing the defending champion Gators on the hardwood.

In this historic matchup, Florida tries to become the first team since Duke in '91-'92 to repeat as champions.

The highlight of the game will be a battle of the bigs, in one of the more intriguing championship individual matchups as three players all but guaranteed to be picked in the top 10 of the NBA draft (should they declare) face off as Ohio State's frosh sensation Greg Oden will be matched up against Florida's two headed monster of Joakim Noah and Al Horford.

Not to be lost in the shuffle here, this game could very well be the end of an era on many levels for Florida as not only is it expected that Horford and Noah are going to leave for the NBA, but now it's also rumored that Head Coach Billy Donovan very well may be on his way to Lexington, Kentucky at season's end. What a way for them all to go out however by giving Florida two championships in the same calendar year in the two major sports.

For fans in Columbus, OH, this could be a chance for some retrobution. Many were left disgusted by the BCS championship game, and now find themselves one step away from their first championship since the 60s, and face their old friends the Gators.

Monday's championship game should be a lot closer than the one on the gridiron, and should be a slugfest.

 

[ajcardfan]

Well....blah.

I think you are right, it will be physical and low-scoring. I think it will be a forgettable end to a pretty boring tournament. By NCAA basketball tournament standards at least.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

AJ, it's been a very blah tournament mainly due to the fact that as a whole, we generally look for the underdog. Last year, George Mason really spoiled us, and there was several teams that had promise to make if not a similar run, which I think we'll not see again for sometime, at least we could expect the March tradition of a sleeper making a run to at least the Sweet 16. Unfortunately for us, the big upset of the tournament was Virginia Commonwealth beating an uninspiring Duke team that was ranked too high to begin with.

Also, anyone else think UCLA's getting sick of seeing Florida in the tournament?

 

[Diamondback Jay]

As for a prediction, I'm gonna go with Florida here.

Whereas I think Ohio State has the advantage at guard with Connelly Jr. being as key, if not moreso, to OSU's rise than Oden. However, at forward, I really think that Horford can and will shutdown Oden, and thus I don't think the Buckeyes have an answer for Noah or Brewer.

I don't think it's going to be a blowout, but I think Florida's experience, relentlessness and overall talent at the F/C position will push them to a 58- 52 win.

 

[AZBALLER]

Once the refs entered the arena at the Florida/UCLA game, the game was over. I'm not saying they were horrible or one sided. All I'm saying is that they didn't let either team play, and that affects UCLA more than it would Florida.

What a shame, because Florida is better imo, but UCLA didn't have a chance with all of the tickytack calls...It's the final 4, let the kids play.

 

[AZBALLER]

BTW, I'm sticking with my pick of Florida as the champ, but it'll be exciting to watch all of the talented big men on the floor.

 

[Russ Smith]

AJ, it's been a very blah tournament mainly due to the fact that as a whole, we generally look for the underdog. Last year, George Mason really spoiled us, and there was several teams that had promise to make if not a similar run, which I think we'll not see again for sometime, at least we could expect the March tradition of a sleeper making a run to at least the Sweet 16. Unfortunately for us, the big upset of the tournament was Virginia Commonwealth beating an uninspiring Duke team that was ranked too high to begin with.

Also, anyone else think UCLA's getting sick of seeing Florida in the tournament?

I know I am but you gotta hand it to them they are the better team. Afflalo getting the quick fouls just killed UCLA, I have no problem at all with Ben putting him back in before he got his 3rd, UCLA was dead in the water and you know Florida wouldn't keep missing open 3's. it was a calculated risk that just didn't pan out.

the last gasp UCLA had was that tipin by Keefe to cut the lead to 8 but even there a foul on Florida killed us because it was before the tip and negated the bucket. they never showed us a replay to explain how the tip didn't count, Collison was complaining but Keefe didn't so I'm assuming it was the right call.

Afflalo finished with a flurry but too little too late.

I hope Florida blows out TOSU, I'd like to think we just lost to the best team 2 years in a row.

I continue to say for Howland to take this team to consecutive final 4's with zero offense from the post players is remarkable. Bring on the Kevin Love era!


Congrats to Florida, outside of Noah they're a pretty classy team, and quite frankly I thought they were better tonight with Noah out of the game, Richard killed us.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Russ, I have no doubts that Howland's going to win a championship at UCLA before it's all said and done.

He's a tremendous coach.

 

[Gee!]

Joakim Noah is a pud and is gonna be a bust in the NBA.. I hope the Suns stay far away from him..

 

[Gee!]

I predict OSU will win.. They just seem to have this x factor in the tourney..

 

[Gee!]

Congrats to Florida, outside of Noah they're a pretty classy team

Why does Noah think he's some hardcore thug? His family is rich yet he walks around like the world has done him wrong and he's ready to fire a hundred bullets into somebody just for looking at him.. He's a clown..

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Joakim Noah is a pud and is gonna be a bust in the NBA.. I hope the Suns stay far away from him..

I'd rather see the Suns get Horford than Noah..

 

[Russ Smith]

Why does Noah think he's some hardcore thug? His family is rich yet he walks around like the world has done him wrong and he's ready to fire a hundred bullets into somebody just for looking at him.. He's a clown..

he's a very good college player who will likely not pan out in the NBA. He did make some key blocked shots tonight but his inability shoot the ball will kill him in the NBA where bigs are so much stronger. Horford was dominant tonight and Richard would be UCLA's best big and he comes off the bench.

UCLA would have had to play a perfect game tonight, I thought we had a chance when we cut it to 4 early in the 2nd half but then they started hitting the 3's and I knew it was over. They were getting open shots and we weren't, just a matter of time before that resulted in a good lead for Florida.

 

[D-Dogg]

Joakim Noah is ... gonna be a bust in the NBA.. ..

Yep...an energy off the bench guy, for the most part...that's it.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I need OSU.

 

[Skkorpion]

If I was a high school hotshot, the last guy in the world I would play for would be Howland. On offense, he takes NBA caliber players and turns them into boring robots.

Ohio State will lose big. (I hope)

 

[Russ Smith]

If I was a high school hotshot, the last guy in the world I would play for would be Howland. On offense, he takes NBA caliber players and turns them into boring robots.

Ohio State will lose big. (I hope)

UCLA has 2 McDonald's AA's on their roster, and one of them, Keefe, so far is a huge disappointment. Ben is certainly not an offensive genius but I would defy you to name one player on that roster who's an NBA player that he's hurt.

Afflalo tested the waters last year and everyone said the same thing, he's a great defender, very smart, very well coached, not athletic enough, not a good enough shooter. That's not Howland's fault, he's done a great job of getting a team with no stars this far.

You just can't make up for talent, Florida has 3 lottery picks, not much you can do about that. UCLA actively recruited both Noah and Horford, had they gotten either player maybe it's a different last 2 years.

Contrast him with say Roy Williams who I think had 8 McDonald's AA's on his team and didn't make the final 4, or Kansas who has 3 top 15 picks in the starting lineup and a 4th(Chalmers) who's a first rounder, and UCLA beat them.

UCLA is 9-2 in the last 2 years in the tourney,both losses to Florida.

 

[Dback Jon]

Once the refs entered the arena at the Florida/UCLA game, the game was over. I'm not saying they were horrible or one sided. All I'm saying is that they didn't let either team play, and that affects UCLA more than it would Florida.

What a shame, because Florida is better imo, but UCLA didn't have a chance with all of the tickytack calls...It's the final 4, let the kids play.

Agreed 100% - the refs needed to let them PLAY.

 

[abomb]

Florida is -3.5. They should cover easily.

 

[Russ Smith]

Agreed 100% - the refs needed to let them PLAY.

It was that way both games though and really once Florida adjusted to the traps it didn't matter. Afflalo playing helps UCLA score some but to me it was like a football game where one team always has better field position, it's inevitable they'll start scoring. Florida got open shots the whole game, once they started going in UCLA was dead. UCLA couldn't get open shots.

I think Florida wins by 10+ tonight, I think they're clearly the best team in the country, when they want to play, nobody stops them.

 

[D-Dogg]

Ohio State wins by 7.

 

[azirish]

Ncaa Finals - Florida And Ohio State

Unlike in football, Florida is a clear favorite to beat Ohio State, but it should be a good game.

Florida has a chance to be the first team in history to win back to back championships with the same starting lineup. Florida has as many as six guys who could be playing in the NBA next season and have not been seriously tested in the tournament.

Ohio State was not all that impressive getting to the Final Four, winning two nail biters including having to come from 20 behind against Tennesse. Of course, the fact that they could come from that far back was impressive, but Tennessee was only a fifth seed.

Entering the Final Four, there were some pundits that predicted wins by Georgetown and UCLA. Both teams were extremely impressive in their Elite 8 games against North Carolina and Kansas respectively by all but shutting down their opponent's offense.

The Florida - UCLA game demonstrated Florida's physical superiority. Once Florida began hitting their outside shots, the Bruins defense was incabple of stopping the Gators without fouling. Corey Brewer was very impressive, but some of the best offensive moves were by Hordord who continually hit open shooter out of the double team.

UCLA actually kept the game closer than the overall performancw (Florida shot 53.3% compared to UCLA's 39.1% and out rebounded UCLA 42-25) would have suggested, but UCLA did not have enough firepower to deal with not being able to stop Florida.


In the opening game, the long anticipated matchup between Oden and Roy Hibbert was a fizzle when Oden got two ticky tack fouls in the first three minutes of the game and sat the rest of the first half. Hibbert put up very good numbers for the game, but got into foul trouble himself in the second half.

More than anything, OHio State proved that they would win without Oden by leading at halftime by 4 points. The most important part of their success was their ability to shut down Jeff Green, Georgetown's biggest offensive threat. Oden had an impact in the second half, but the real key was Mike Conley JR. who beat the great Georgetown defense with great PG play.

Two keys to the Ohio State victory was their 16 offensive rebounds and forcing 14 turonvers by Georgetown to only 8 by OSU. Ohio State did not shoot espeically well (43.9%) but took 19 free throws compared to only 8 by Georgetown. The OSU advantage on the boards was all the more remarkable in that Georgetown had not been outrebounded in a very long time.


On paper, Florida is the clear favorite, but Ohio State's 22 game winning streak is not a fluke. OSU keeps finding a way to win and the Gators should not let their December win over the Buckeye's make them over confident.

The biggest unknown is how the game will be called. If Oden gets hit with a lot of ticky tack calls, the game will be over very quickly. If he isn't, then the game will get a lot more interesting.

In December, the Gators won in part because Horford could defense Oden without doubleteams. Some of this was that Oden was not in very good condition, but some of it was that Horford was physically able to keep Oden away from the glass. Oden is a lot more mobile than back then, so Horford may not be able to contain Oden as easily, but he's still one of the bew bigs who can even try.

Taurean Green versus Mike Conley Jr. may be even decisive. Green really struggled against Collison of UCAL and Conley could cause him problems. Shutting down Conley will be a major task for Green since Conley is a much bigger offensive threat that Collison.

For people looking to scout possible NBA players, this is the game to see.

 

[Skkorpion]

Russ, it's no fun poking at your allegiances when you insist on using facts to defeat the sneak attacks!

 

[OldDirtMcGirt]

For the record, I'm picking Ohio State. They just seem like the team of destiny to me. Hopefully this puts me at 2 for 2 on National Championship games between Florida and Ohio State.

 

[Russ Smith]

Russ, it's no fun poking at your allegiances when you insist on using facts to defeat the sneak attacks!

Just for you. According to Sonny Vaccaro on radio today UCLA is about to get another commit and he implied it will be a "very very very good highschool player", and he seemed to be saying it was for next season to add to Kevin Love and Chace Stanback.

Everyone is scrambling to see what top unsigned 07 recruits it could be.

My guess is 08 recruit Jerime anderson is going to graduate a year early but that's been denied too.
But if correct it sounds like Howland will have more talent next year to squander.