Gators look to regain form as March Madness arrives

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/osgators/status/836753637858766848

"We were as sharp as we've been," White said Tuesday. "This team continues to do things that impress you from a work ethic and character standpoint."

Based on UF's 76-66 loss Saturday to Kentucky, White realizes the biggest challenges lie ahead.

No. 12 Gators (23-6, 13-3 SEC) have not been the same team since center John Egbunu's season-ending knee injury two weeks ago.

Kentucky drove home the point.

The Wildcats outrebounded the Gators 48-30 overall and shot 64 percent during the second half behind the inside-outside game of center Edrice "Bam" Adebayo and guard Malik Monk. Monk scored 30 of his 33 points after intermission while the 6-foot-10, 260-pound Adebayo was 5-of-5 shooting. He finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds.

"I came to the conclusion after the [last Kentucky] game that a huge part of that discrepancy was John Egbunu," White said. "It's a big factor, a big factor.

"We've got to move on," White said. "We can be, if all of these things happen, we can be just as good. We just need to be different."

Two key seniors need to regain their form, too.

Senior point guard Kasey Hill of Umatilla enters his final home game amid a redemptive season.

"He's been a great example of perseverance — of character, of work ethic, of filtering out the noise — and continuing to do your job and focusing on getting better every day," White said. "He's had a really solid season."

But the past three games Hill has committed 10 turnovers and shot 10 of 28 to resemble the erratic player of previous seasons.

Meanwhile, dependable senior forward Canyon Barry has been a shell of his former self after suffering a sprained ankle Feb. 18 at State.

[mj4president]

I think we win by 15+

[King Kong]

I think we win by 15+

You can't be serious

[redleg]

I think we win by 15+

What?!
IF ... Arkansas wins, it'll be by the skin of their collective teeth. Maybe 1-3 points. Chances are, with the Gators overall talent level, even without Egbunu, even with Hill and Barry's struggles recently, Florida is still better than the Hogs, especially in Gainesville. Arkansas has not won there since 1995! Eventually that streak will end. Maybe tonight, I hope! But I doubt it.
I see Arkansas losing at Florida, beating Georgia (UGA is without their leading scorer) in Fayetteville on Saturday, and winning their quarter-final game in the SEC Tourney. Depending on how South Carolina finishes will determine whether Arkansas is the 3 seed or the 4 seed if the Hogs lose at Florida. Either way, I see them losing in the semi-finals to either Florida or Kentucky, and being 24-9 headed into the NCAA's. That's probably an 8 or 9 seed. 25-10 is quite possible, if they win in the first round, and then lose to the #1 seed in the second round, which is what would happen.
Still, a very good season to build off of going into 2017-18.
:razorback:

[NuttinItUp]

[Paul]

well done

[sneakybeats]

We got this.  82-80 Hogs.   

[ADavisTheGOAT]

We are going to lose this one and it will be ugly.