Everyone has been talking about how the Butler-Wisconsin game will be one for the purists. Well, this Florida/BYU game is one for non-purists. I don't think I have ever seen more stupid plays in a single NCAA Sweet 16 game. Neither team looks as though it has ever practiced or run a play.
Jimmer Fredette is 11-27 from the field, and has spent most of the game whining about the officiating.
Florida, which apparently decided it would beat BYU from 3-point range, is 9-31 from three-point range, and 7-16 from the line.
Florida had the last shot in regulation, and decided to let Chandler Parsons "create." You can imagine how disastrous that was.
For most of the year, Florida has played much better when the money is on the line. That's how they won all those close games in the regular season. So now that they are in overtime, Florida has run two sound possessions in a row.
Jimmer has responded with (yet another) wild three, and an out-of-control drive that resulted in his being called for walking.
Florida has missed 23 three-pointers and 10 free throws in this game. I hope that I live to see a game where Florida misses 23 three-pointers and 10 free throws against Kentucky.
But they are playing BYU, which has missed 25 three-pointers of its own. The Gators lead 79-72 with 1:48 to go.
BYU calls time. Jimmer takes the ball, dribbles, dribbles, thinks about taking that massive three that he keeps missing, finally throws a pass -- which is stolen.
Florida comes down, gets a dunk. 81-72.
Jimmer comes back with another missed 3-pointer. He is 3-14 from three-point range in this game.
By the way, this is why East Coast bias exists. All year, BYU and SDSU scream about not getting respect. SDSU gets to play the 9th-place Big East team in Anaheim -- which is basically a home game for SDSU -- and loses 74-67. BYU can't even beat an SEC team.
In the evening session, we saw the downside of East Coast bias. Duke University -- the Boston Red Sox of college basketball -- finally played a tournament game outside the state of North Carolina. (The ACC tournament and Duke's first two games in the NCAA tournament were all in the state of North Carolina.) Kyrie Irving, who was out most of the year with an injured toe, was fantastic for Duke -- he had 28 points. But the rest of the Blue Devils were just as soft, just as slow, and just as overrated as the Duke-haters around the nation have been claiming for the last two years.
Today, Duke found themselves a long way from home and they were not facing an offensively-challenged team like the ones they drew last year. This time, they had to play a team of quality athletes and a truly great player in Derrick Williams -- and Duke got destroyed.
Of course, it took Arizona a while to get used to playing under Duke's rules. In the first half, Arizona was confused by all the fouls that Duke gets away with -- and the Blue Devils led 44-38 at the half. But in the second half, Arizona's players realized that Duke simply could not guard them -- and they tore Duke to pieces. Arizona outscored Duke 55-33 in the second half, and all of Coach K's tirades at the officials could do nothing to stop the Wildcats. The final score was 93-77, and it wasn't that close.
And so, for the first time in two years, we get to see one of the favorite March rituals of any UK fan -- switching to ESPN to watch Dick Vitale and Jay Bilas talk about why Duke was eliminated.
Here's a "World B. Free-type night" (with Jimmer's stats in parentheses):
14-29 from the field (11-29) 5-15 from three-point range (3-15) 5-7 from the line (7-7) 38 points (32) 4 assists (5) 3 turnovers (6) 6 rebounds (2)
Counting only scoring, that's a six-point swing in a game decided by seven, and Free's much stronger turnover and rebound contributions suggest he would've easily pushed BYU over the top in this game. Furthermore, the three-point shooting, assists and turnovers calculations are based on Free's NBA statistics because his college numbers are incomplete. And, finally, Free actually did lead Guilford College (of Greensboro, N.C.) to the NAIA national championship in his freshman season.
On the other hand, I do appreciate your request for the Barton College clip at the other post and will be commenting there with a YouTube clip of that still-mind-blowing comeback.
Everyone has been talking about how the Butler-Wisconsin game will be one for the purists. Well, this Florida/BYU game is one for non-purists. I don't think I have ever seen more stupid plays in a single NCAA Sweet 16 game. Neither team looks as though it has ever practiced or run a play.
ReplyDeleteJimmer Fredette is 11-27 from the field, and has spent most of the game whining about the officiating.
Florida, which apparently decided it would beat BYU from 3-point range, is 9-31 from three-point range, and 7-16 from the line.
Florida had the last shot in regulation, and decided to let Chandler Parsons "create." You can imagine how disastrous that was.
So its 68-all and headed to overtime.
For most of the year, Florida has played much better when the money is on the line. That's how they won all those close games in the regular season. So now that they are in overtime, Florida has run two sound possessions in a row.
ReplyDeleteJimmer has responded with (yet another) wild three, and an out-of-control drive that resulted in his being called for walking.
Florida leads 72-68 with 3:52 to go.
Florida has missed 23 three-pointers and 10 free throws in this game. I hope that I live to see a game where Florida misses 23 three-pointers and 10 free throws against Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteBut they are playing BYU, which has missed 25 three-pointers of its own. The Gators lead 79-72 with 1:48 to go.
BYU calls time. Jimmer takes the ball, dribbles, dribbles, thinks about taking that massive three that he keeps missing, finally throws a pass -- which is stolen.
ReplyDeleteFlorida comes down, gets a dunk. 81-72.
Jimmer comes back with another missed 3-pointer. He is 3-14 from three-point range in this game.
Three of fourteen. I can't get over that.
And he missed another one. 3-15.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what UK fans would do if any Kentucky player went 3-14 from three point range in an NCAA game.
Anyway, Jimmer leaves the floor with a World B. Free-type night:
11-29 from the field
3-15 from three-point range
7-7 from the line
32 points
5 assists
6 turnovers
2 rebounds
Florida wins 83-74.
By the way, this is why East Coast bias exists. All year, BYU and SDSU scream about not getting respect. SDSU gets to play the 9th-place Big East team in Anaheim -- which is basically a home game for SDSU -- and loses 74-67. BYU can't even beat an SEC team.
ReplyDeleteIn the evening session, we saw the downside of East Coast bias. Duke University -- the Boston Red Sox of college basketball -- finally played a tournament game outside the state of North Carolina. (The ACC tournament and Duke's first two games in the NCAA tournament were all in the state of North Carolina.) Kyrie Irving, who was out most of the year with an injured toe, was fantastic for Duke -- he had 28 points. But the rest of the Blue Devils were just as soft, just as slow, and just as overrated as the Duke-haters around the nation have been claiming for the last two years.
ReplyDeleteToday, Duke found themselves a long way from home and they were not facing an offensively-challenged team like the ones they drew last year. This time, they had to play a team of quality athletes and a truly great player in Derrick Williams -- and Duke got destroyed.
Of course, it took Arizona a while to get used to playing under Duke's rules. In the first half, Arizona was confused by all the fouls that Duke gets away with -- and the Blue Devils led 44-38 at the half. But in the second half, Arizona's players realized that Duke simply could not guard them -- and they tore Duke to pieces. Arizona outscored Duke 55-33 in the second half, and all of Coach K's tirades at the officials could do nothing to stop the Wildcats. The final score was 93-77, and it wasn't that close.
And so, for the first time in two years, we get to see one of the favorite March rituals of any UK fan -- switching to ESPN to watch Dick Vitale and Jay Bilas talk about why Duke was eliminated.
ReplyDeleteI condemn your unprovoked attack on World (nee Lloyd) B. Free.
ReplyDeleteHere's a "World B. Free-type night" (with Jimmer's stats in parentheses):
14-29 from the field (11-29)
5-15 from three-point range (3-15)
5-7 from the line (7-7)
38 points (32)
4 assists (5)
3 turnovers (6)
6 rebounds (2)
Counting only scoring, that's a six-point swing in a game decided by seven, and Free's much stronger turnover and rebound contributions suggest he would've easily pushed BYU over the top in this game. Furthermore, the three-point shooting, assists and turnovers calculations are based on Free's NBA statistics because his college numbers are incomplete. And, finally, Free actually did lead Guilford College (of Greensboro, N.C.) to the NAIA national championship in his freshman season.
Wrote Larry Keith in the March 26, 1973, Sports Illustrated: "It was a freshman, however, who sparked the Quakers and became the only first-year man ever to win the tournament's Outstanding Player Award. The whirling, twirling, jumping, pumping moves of Lloyd Free produced 25 points against Augustana and 30 against Maryland-Eastern Shore. 'Lloyd is a great one-on-one player, so we try to take advantage of it,' said Jensen. 'We can do this because Carr is willing to give up part of his game. Lloyd is the kind who can't be happy unless he's getting his share of the points. Even then you have to pat him on the back and tell him how much you love him and need him. Believe me, I've told him.' Free developed his game on the playgrounds of Brooklyn's Brownsville section, where he once found himself facing Earl Monroe in a pickup game. Monroe, Free admits, 'blew my head off.'"
On the other hand, I do appreciate your request for the Barton College clip at the other post and will be commenting there with a YouTube clip of that still-mind-blowing comeback.
ReplyDelete