I made it back to Warrenton after class tonight in time to see the final 3 minutes of the Florida-UCLA game. The Gators made Gatorbait of the Bruins 73-57!!! The Gators were absolutely unbelievable! I listened to the game on the radio during my 45-minute drive home and it was incredible seeing their moves on TV during the final minutes.
I also saw a replay of game highlights afterwards and cannot get over how well the Gators played. They truly are a class above the rest of the teams. As a Florida alumni, I could not be prouder of my team. As a current Patriot, I was also pleased that GMU was not the only team outplayed by the Gators. As a matter of fact, it was extra sweet that the Gators beat the Bruins with a 16-point spread – one more point then the 15-point spread they beat the Patriots by during the Final Four. The Patriots can now also say that the only team to beat them during the entire tournament wone the national championship in the next game.
Sports Illustrated reports (emphaisis mine):
The Gators without question outplayed both the Bruins and the Patriots. As much as the Patriot in me was sad to see GMU lose on Saturday (yes, I was rooting for the Patriots that game), I am overjoyed to see the Gators win the final game!
Game, set, match -- and a championship, too -- for Joakim Noah and the Florida Gators.
The tennis star's son dominated UCLA with 16 points, nine rebounds and a record six blocks Monday night to key a 73-57 blowout for Florida's first national title in basketball.
The championship for Billy Donovan's team comes 10 years after Steve Spurrier led the Gators to a title in that "other" sport. Spurrier is long gone, and the days of Florida being only a football school appear to be, too.
For 40 lopsided minutes, the Gators (33-6) were too big, too long and too quick for UCLA, which came up a win short of its 12th national title.
Florida and Noah won by putting on a thorough display of versatility and unselfishness, a trademark of this team all season.
I can’t begin to imagine what Gainesville must be like tonight…
GO GATORS!!!
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