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Unsightly Gators Earn One More Night

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Gators coach Billy Donovan and Walter Hodge confer during Thursday's win over Arkansas.

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 13, 2009

Updated: 03/13/2009 11:51 am

TAMPA - Does it matter if it looks like the new version of "40 Minutes of Hell" - and we do mean hell? Does it matter if the NCAA Tournament selection committee is thinking of calling Florida to say, "Look, we'll let you guys in so long as we don't have to watch any more of your games?"

It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter at all.

"We're just trying to do it any way we can," Florida senior guard Walter Hodge said.

"Survive and move on," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "Sometimes at this time of year, it's not the team that looks the prettiest, but it's the team that can make more winning plays."

The Gators lived to see another day at the SEC Tournament with a 73-58 victory over Arkansas. At times it was ugly, at times it was unwatchable. But what's been all that pretty about Florida basketball since the Oh-Fours walked off the floor with their second NCAA title?

"That's a tough act to follow," said Hodge, a member of both the 2006 and 2007 title teams. "Those teams are forever."

These Gators, almost laughably less talented, are about the here and now, about trying to swing the axe one more day, chop some more wood, and find their way into the NCAA Tournament. They're either the "one of the Last Four Out" or "one of the Last Four In." It's down to that pretty much. Forget the style points at this stage. They don't matter.

"Getting in is the thing," Florida guard Nick Calathes said.

Calathes, Florida's best player, looks tired. The Gators as a team look worn down. But they live. It might take more than beating red hot Auburn tonight make the NCAA field. It might take another win Saturday, possibly over Tennessee, to dance.

"We can't think about that," Hodge said.

They're swinging an axe. Sometimes they hit the tree, sometimes they miss the tree, but they keep swinging.

They sat around Thursday waiting to play. How do you not keep an eye on all the other tournaments for news on all the other bubble teams?

Bubble boys Virginia Tech won in the ACC tournament. Bubble boys Maryland beat N.C. State. In the Big 12, bubble boys Oklahoma State scored a major hit with an upset of Oklahoma. And don't forget Cleveland State beating Butler (already assured an at-large bid) the other night for the Horizon championship. None of those results help the Gators.

If Mississippi State beats South Carolina today, that would help Florida.

Unless Mississippi State wins the SEC title.

That would hurt Florida.

The Gators keep swinging.

"Me and Walt [Hodge} watched the games today," Calathes said after Friday's win. "But it's not like we go 'Oh, my God, there goes a spot'. We can't look at it that way. Basically, we control our own destiny."

Florida's functional win fit the first day of this tournament.

There wasn't an upset in any of the four games.

There was no sizzle. There really wasn't a good game in the bunch.

Astounding things were happening in conference tournaments elsewhere. Last-place Georgia Tech beat Clemson in the ACC. Along with Oklahoma State's shocker, there was Baylor toppling first-place Kansas in the Big 12 in Oklahoma City. In New York, West Virginia stunned Pittsburgh. And in an epic nightcap, Connecticut and Syracuse fought for six overtimes before Syracuse won. Everyone will be talking about that game today.

No one will be talking about Thursday's nightcap at the Forum.

Everyone will want to move on.

That's fine by Florida, which moves on, too.

"That's all you can want," said Hodge, who led Florida with 16 points. It's the second time he has led his team in scoring in as many games. Maybe some of that Oh-Fours magic is still with him. He keyed the surge that helped the Gators pull away from the Razorbacks.

He wants this season to keep going.

Watch or don't watch. Florida doesn't care. So they're not the Oh-Fours. They might even be the Oh-Bores.

It doesn't matter.

Moving on matters.

"That's the only idea this time of year," Hodge said.

Good idea.

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