Minneapolis – Joakim Noah stood at the top of a ladder with the net in one hand and a cellphone in the other. As the basketball world rubbed its eyes to see Florida quietly rising back into the national spotlight Sunday, the Gators’ hero was on the phone with his father, who was rubbing his eyes somewhere in France.
It was nearly 2 a.m. across the pond, and Joakim told Yannick Noah that his son had just led the third-seeded Gators into college basketball’s stratosphere. It may not equal his dad, a French citizen, winning the 1983 French Open but beating top-seeded Villanova, 75-62, for a Final Four berth still resonated a world away.
“He was doing all the talking,” said Joakim, wearing a Minneapolis Regional championship T-shirt and surrounded by reporters. “He was telling me how proud he was of me. He’s my Pops. I can’t tell you guys everything.”
Now a reggae star in France, Yannick can read all about it today. He’ll read how his son, who played only two meaningless minutes in Florida’s loss to Villanova in last year’s NCAA Tournament, dominated the last top seed remaining. This marks the first time since 1980 that no No. 1 seeds will be in the Final Four, but make no mistake. The Gators (31-6) are legitimate.
And Noah, probably the most improved player in the country, makes them that way.
The 6-foot-11 sophomore scored a team-high 21 points, tied for a game-high 15 rebounds and blocked five shots to snuff a Wildcats team in which its diminutive lineup finally came up short.
“There is not many like him,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “I don’t remember anybody that good defensively and offensively in the perimeter and the post.”
Villanova’s four-guard lineup could not make a dent in a Florida defense that went 6-11, 6-9 and 6-8 along the front line. The third-ranked Wildcats (28-5) shot a comical 24.7 percent (18-of-73), including 4-of-23 from 3-point range.
Three of the guards – Allan Ray (5-of-19), Kyle Lowry (1-of-9) and Mike Nardi (2-of-11) – were a combined 8-for-32.
Florida’s cat-quick backcourt, Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green, picked up Ray, Villanova’s school season record-holder for 3-pointers, and Big East player of the year Randy Foye 30 feet from the basket. When they penetrated, Noah and 6-9 Al Horford, who also had 15 rebounds, were waiting for them. Florida blocked eight shots and Villanova was only 3-of-20 inside the key in the first half.
“Our whole thing with them is, if they pull up with jump shots in the lane, take runners in the lane and we are giving up two, we are going to live with that,” said Florida coach Billy Donovan, who has his second Final Four team in seven years. “But we are not living with 3s.”
Humphrey’s fast-break 3-pointer and fast-break layup off a Green steal capped a 16-2 run for a 27-16 lead midway through the first half.
“In the first half we got to the rim and got shots inside,” Wright said. “Joakim Noah only had three blocks. But he must’ve changed five or six shots.”
Down only 35-30 at halftime thanks to 12-of-13 foul shots and 10 Florida turnovers, Villanova needed Foye to get hot. He did. He hit three of its first five baskets, but Florida’s 53-40 rebounding edge was too much.
Noah made six straight free throws and two shots inside for a 68-54 lead with 2:19 left.
So heading to Indianapolis is a team not as unlikely as George Mason but certainly one off the radar in October. Florida was picked as low as fifth in the SEC East and last year Donovan lost Matt Walsh and Anthony Roberson early to the NBA. Donovan starts four sophomores and a junior. Yet make a case that it’s impossible for Florida to become national champion.
“Two more, baby! Two more!” yelled Noah as he did a reggae dance.
In France, a proud father strummed a happy tune.
Staff writer John Henderson can be reached at 303-820-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
