In one year, Florida center Joakim Noah went from a guy who got strange looks when he wore his African smock on campus to a guy signing an autograph on a woman’s breast. The Gators went from a distant No. 2 interest on campus behind the football team to needing a police escort to attend the spring football game.
And, as March Madness kicks off, Florida has gone from a program known for early exits in March to having a realistic shot at becoming the first team in 15 years to win consecutive titles.
The Gators’ encore for last year’s national title is deserving of another standing O, or a weird autograph. Sixth-ranked Florida (29-5) is ready to waltz into New Orleans as the Midwest Regional’s No. 1 seed.
If repeating is harder than winning the first one, Florida has given every indication that it can handle the assignment. It won its first regular-season outright Southeastern Conference title since 1989, its third consecutive SEC Tournament title Sunday and two more regular-season games than a year ago.
“We’ve dealt with all the human elements, dealt with all the expectations,” Florida coach Billy Donovan said on last week’s SEC conference call. “We’ve dealt with complacency. We’ve dealt with it very admirably. We’re better than a year ago because we chose to take on the challenge and deal with a lot of things.”
Well, they’d better. After all, they returned all five starters, including Noah, who turned down enough NBA money to buy half of Cameroon, his ancestral home. However, when Donovan returned from Indianapolis and Florida’s first national title last year, he didn’t see parades. He saw pitfalls.
Wherever the players walked around campus, they were mobbed for autographs. Even students’ mothers asked. Grown men would approach them and openly weep. Friends and family kept asking about leaving early for the NBA.
None left. But Donovan, sensing his Gators turning into fat cats, took an offseason tour. He talked to people such as New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick about repeats.
When Donovan, 41, returned he made a list of all potential distractions. Then he gathered his team and laid them out – new friends, people who want to be friends, agents who want to be friends, media obligations, national expectations, hero worship.
“I said this before the season, that our goal is to be a better team but being a better team doesn’t necessarily mean you’re guaranteed for great success in the future,” Donovan said. “I think we’re a better team because the guys were committed to be a better team.”
To become a better team they had to become a closer team. That wouldn’t be easy. Forward Corey Brewer, center Al Horford, point guard Taurean Green and Noah, all juniors, already lived in the same house.
But this season they bonded. Noah made the first gesture. Emphatically against the Iraq war, he initially refused to join the team on its White House visit but relented when he considered the negative publicity for the program.
Donovan turned down a raise, knowing Noah, Horford and Brewer turned down NBA riches to return. After losses this season, the four roomies would get tape and study and talk about the game at home until the wee hours of the morning.
Despite having a target on their backs, the Gators are outscoring teams 79.3-61.6 compared to 78.3-63.5 a year ago. Their shooting has jumped from .500 to .527.
The balance is back, too. Lee Humphrey, the lone senior starter, is one-tenth of a point from giving Florida five players averaging double figures. And they have all the bases covered: the leader in Horford, the energy in Noah, the slasher in Brewer, the tempo pusher in Green and the shooter in Humphrey.
But where is their most improvement?
“Their confidence level,” Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said. “They have a championship mentality about them. They know they can win. Certainly they’ve gotten better but they were terrific a year ago as well.”
There’s also a soothing similarity to last year. A year ago, the Gators lost three consecutive games in February then rattled off 11 straight for the title. This year they entered the SEC Tournament having lost three of five so their vulnerability won’t make them complacent.
All three losses were on the road. There will be no more hostile crowds in the NCAA Tournament. They’re just hoping for another police escort.
Staff writer John Henderson can be reached at 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
Top programs score top seeds, but quintet vanishes from bubble
Denver Post college basketball writer Tom Kensler breaks down the highs and lows of the NCAA Tournament selection.
TOP SEEDS
FLORIDA (29-5): Defending champs recovered from late-season slump to steamroll in SEC tourney.
NORTH CAROLINA (28-6): Tar Heels demolished ACC tourney foes by average of 13 points.
OHIO STATE (30-3): A 17-game winning streak with 7-foot freshman Greg Oden now able to use his right hand.
KANSAS (30-4): Jayhawks riding 11-game winning streak.
LAST AT-LARGE TEAMS IN
STANFORD (18-12, 63 RPI): A 10-8 record in the Pac-10 included wins over UCLA and Oregon.
ARKANSAS (21-13, 35 RPI): Razorbacks went 5-5 against top 50 RPI teams.
ILLINOIS (23-11, 29 RPI): Illini finished 7-3 to sneak in.
OLD DOMINION (24-8, 40 RPI): Second place in Colonial Athletic Association good enough.
THE BUBBLE BURST
AIR FORCE (23-8, 30 RPI): Lost four in a row to finish season.
MISSOURI STATE (22-10, 36 RPI): Hammered 75-58 by Creighton in Missouri Valley semifinals.
DREXEL (23-8, 39 RPI): 13 road wins but fourth in the Colonial.
SYRACUSE (22-10, 51 RPI): Went just 3-7 vs. top 50 RPI teams.
KANSAS STATE (22-11, 56 RPI): Lacked one notable nonconference victory.
(NOTE: Estimated RPIs from collegerpi.com)
