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By JOEY JOHNSTON The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 18, 2008

ESPN's "College GameDay" - the basketball version - returns to Gainesville on Saturday for the Kentucky-Florida game. Jay Bilas, the former Duke player who has become an ESPN mainstay, said he and his colleagues (Digger Phelps, Rece Davis and Hubert Davis) still remember the overwhelming response from Gators fans during the program's appearance last season in Gainesville.

This week, Bilas talked about UK-UF, college basketball in the state of Florida and his overall impressions about this season:

What has been the reaction to basketball "GameDay?"

The "GameDay" football show is the gold standard. We're happy to operate in its shadow. But hopefully, we can show the passion of college basketball fans. Every place is unique, whether it's the Rowdy Reptiles in Gainesville, Allen Fieldhouse in Kansas or the Dean Dome at North Carolina. There's so much history and tradition everywhere.

What do you anticipate in Gainesville?

When we walked out of there the last time in 2006, we agreed it was the best place we had been to date. Folks were camping out overnight - in the rain. It would be a nice ego boost to say they came out for us, but truthfully, it was for the team. Billy Donovan has done an incredible job at Florida, and those students are all over that team with support. It's great to see, especially at a quote-unquote football school.

Can the Gators make some waves in the SEC?

First off, what team can you name in America that has more players in completely different roles one year later? So much change in that roster. I'm sure Billy needed a program himself the first week. But I've been taken by the energy of that team. There's a youthful exuberance about them. How good can they be? Truly outstanding. How good are they now? I think they're going to crack the top 25 before the end of the season.

Kentucky is 7-8. Are you shocked?

Did I expect more at this point? Yes, of course. I thought Kentucky would have a few losses, but I thought they'd be better. They've had tons of injuries and, truthfully, the adjustment to a new coach Billy Gillispie has been a challenge. Kentucky has won. This isn't a total rebuilding job for Billy, like he had at Texas A&M or UTEP. Those kids weren't going to look sideways at anything he said. It has been tougher to get kids to buy into things when they've been successful doing things a certain way. Kentucky will be back. But this season? It may continue to be a real struggle.

Miami is sitting at 14-2. Are the Hurricanes for real?

That's a legitimate NCAA Tournament team. The No. 1 thing I see? Toughness. What a tough group. They've got a mindset. They fight. I think they'll be in the thick of it in the ACC.

Speaking of the ACC, Florida State has narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament for two straight seasons. Are the Seminoles going to make it this time?

Early in the season, I would've said yes, definitely. But there have been injuries and they've taken some losses in the league Clemson, Duke. I like Florida State's guards and the way they bang those free throws down. But they have to shorten up the game and keep everybody out of foul trouble. It's a long conference season and it's going to be tough for them.

Do you see USF making any inroads in the Big East?

The Bulls already have a couple of good wins, but it's harder and harder with conference play beginning. I really like center Kentrell Gransberry a lot, but I think some others need to step up. You've heard it before, but hey, it's going to take some time. Stan Heath has to get his guys in there who can do it his way. In this do-it-now age, nobody likes it when you preach patience. But realistically, it's going to take time, especially in that league, to do it the right way.

Whether it's Kevin Love of UCLA, Derrick Rose of Memphis or even Nick Calathes of Florida, it's another great season for freshmen. Is it better than last season?

That's hard to say when you had seminal players such as Ohio State's Greg Oden and Kevin Durant of Texas. But clearly, it's a much deeper freshman class. Let's face it, you aren't seeing guys stay in college basketball any more. If you have a great junior, that's a luxury. But here's the flip side: With all these guys in the NBA who would've been in college basketball in another generation, today's freshmen just aren't facing the same kind of resistance that a freshman faced 20 years ago. It's much easier for a freshman to come in and dominate. That doesn't mean the game has suffered. But it's not as mature of a game as it used to be.

We haven't had an unbeaten men's team since Indiana in 1975-76. We're into mid-January. Memphis, North Carolina and Kansas still haven't lost. What about it, Jay? Can it happen?

I wouldn't be surprised to see all of them lose, especially with the 3-point shot being such a threat these days. Anybody can go down. Memphis is the most likely team to go unbeaten because of their league Conference USA. I put the likelihood of an unbeaten season in this order - Memphis, North Carolina and Kansas. North Carolina has a reasonable shot to rip through the ACC without a loss because the league isn't as strong in the middle and bottom as it has been. All that being said, Kansas still may well be the best team in the nation.

Who's your Final Four?

It hasn't changed since the season began - North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas and UCLA - and I doubt it will change. We do this Power 16 on our ESPN Web site and I didn't move UCLA down, even when it lost to Texas. People said, "How could you do that? UCLA lost, for crying out loud." Well, where is it written that they MUST drop down? They lost, but they're still better than nearly everybody else. I don't tend to shift gears or react violently when one of the top teams takes a loss. I mean, this ain't football, guys.

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