MBB OGT: #5 FLORIDA at #7 Alabama -- March 5, 2025 -- 7 PM [ESPN2]

I didn’t really notice them tonight. That’s usually a good sign. I was with a couple buddies and kind of watching basketball on my phone, but don’t remember anything egregiously called. Big zone, but seemed big for both teams. Not a lot of grumbling in the crowd. Jeff Head was definitely not behind the plate.

 

I an guessing they will be after Auburn lost to TA&M.

 

It will be interesting to see how SEC teams are officiated in the tourney because they are an extremely physical league that let's them play. You could get officials that will not allow SEC teams to play that style and saddle key players with fouls that are not normally called in the SEC.

 

Condon and Clayton were grown men tonight from the jump. Best two players on the court, even granting the good game by Sears. Golden has become kryptonite for Oats. Whipped him in Gainesville and the SECs, beat them on their home court once and almost a second time (but substantially outplaying them for most of those games). It has been insanely fun to watch this team. So competitive, physical, aggressive across the board.

 

We beat the refs tonight too?!

 

Yep - I was pretty nervous when we were inbounding the ball. Their strategy for the most part would have worked if we weren't hitting our foul shots. Each possession was burning very little clock.

 

Generally they don’t allow as much of it in the tourneys, but probably somewhat depends on where they are. If they’re playing in the se, they’re probably gonna see some of the same refs they see during the season. If we’re on the west coast, might see some refs that call more big 12 and big 10 games (since no pac)? We can adjust though, and have plenty of depth to absorb some fouls.

 

I assume Auburn is still the number 1 overall seed. Auburn now has the same record as Duke with 15 quad one wins compared to Duke’s 6.

 

But they are Duke. LOL.

 

Haha thanks for that. I was definitely being sarcastic but I hear you.

 

Check the box score.

 

Another great stat was only 2 turnovers in the second half. From 8 in the first half to just 2. Definitely cleaned up the offensive game allowing us to get to 58 points in that half.

 

I got you. Just adding some useless commentary.

 

Duke's KenPom rating is artificially high because they are blowing away teams in their weak ass conference. KenPom places too much importance in their algorithm for margin of win, that's why they are overrated.
Also, Duke is full of 5 star freshmen, who really haven't been tested and are inexperienced playing in tournaments.
Like I said, Duke is a paper tiger and are ripe for upset...

 

They really didn’t whistle Bama very much, but I don’t like the tendency of assuming that all disparities are evidence of biases. In some games, one team is really going to foul more than the other. In fact, even when one team is called for twice as many fouls as the other, it may be that ref bias went against the team with fewer fouls.

Regardless of the refs, that was a final 4 like game, where both teams played awesomely, and Florida balled out.

 

Read the sentence.. there is more than scoring Naismith

 

You my friend are wrong

 

He was terrific. Kid has the green light to shoot. That threat is what makes him so special--and what opened up so many looks for others at the rim or then arc tonight.

 

Thx u rserina! Davis hates me