By the second half the game thread was full of posts about us being "out-toughed" and "outcoached". Balderdash. We weren't losing this game because of anything but having our 3 starting guards all being ice cold from 3 and having something like 8 missed layups/dunks. We've had plenty of games where 1 guard was off...a few where 2 were...but nothing like this and we all knew this team will only go as far as those guards take us. Clayton didn't hit his first three until 5:24 left in the game. He then added two more with Haugh chipping in another 2. Despite Martin/Richard never waking up we did enough throughout the game to stay close (thanks team for hitting those FTs!) and 5 3's in the final 5:24 with some good defensive stops were enough to seal it!
The Gator Boyz had an off-night shooting, which is the thing that can kill us. But they nailed 'em down the stretch and got it done.
Need to get a new prescription of digitalis and new batteries for the AED. Had to fire it off about 15 times in the second half while chugging a bottle of digitalis with Long Island ice tea chasers.
25-27 free throws. Incredible job locking it down in an area that has definitely not been our strength. We outperformed there tonight.
Texas Tech really struggled defending the free throw line tonight. Proud of our boys for stepping up and exploiting that.
Great, great, weathered another storm. Ok, now for one of our vintage SEC tournament runs and win the next 2 games by 10 points. Time for the another team to weather one of our storms.
TT paid the price for covering Clayton so tight at the foul line. Their game plan to not let him get open led to him driving and getting fouled.
People can say TT was tougher, more physical, or stronger… whatever. I say they played thug ball. They started right out of the gate, and the refs allowed it. Their bigs should have been in foul trouble within the first half. I have no problem with moving toward the basket, but having your forearm clearly away from your body and using it to push your opponent out of the way should not have been allowed imo. Great win for Florida no doubt, but I think the entire game could have been different, and not as close, if TT isn’t allowed to push our guys all over the place.
Early on TT was the tougher team but not by much. The refs definitely gave them some benefit of the doubt. I saw some of the best defense by Clayton I haven’t seen for a long long time. I saw better willingness to score by the bigs when passes were made inside but still not great (Condon was tentative and Chinyelu doesn’t get in the best position). I thought not settling for the three was a great decision give the TT defensive game plan which perhaps got the guards out of rhythm? But when you talk about tough, there was no one on the court tougher than Haugh. I have been praising this guy to my kid all year as we watch the games. His improvement from last year is immense. He plays the game like it should be played and he clearly works on his craft…all of it! If his intensity would be matched by every player this team would be unstoppable. Clayton is the leader of this team and most skilled but Haugh is the heart and soul. To me, he is a poor man’s Cooper Flagg.
Yeah, I was yelling at him to shoot it there late. But it all worked out, and he's probably thinking, "I can probably make this... or I can get it to Walt, who will definitely make it."
