Florida is a better defensive team than Houston

Its 2025, we have smarter stats to look at. KenPom and Torvik both have UF at #2 in offensive efficiency this season, Houston is #11 and #12 respectively. It's not a huge difference admittedly, but enough to be statistically significant and say UF was the better offensive team this year. Torvik even has a higher season EFG% for UF than Houston.

I agree with your part that I bolded that Houston's defensive rating is partially fueled by playing physical and getting away with it. I'd also say their offense benefits from that as well given the way they contest offensive rebounds. But I'll maintain that my eyes and smart stats tell me Florida's offense was better than Houston's offense overall this year, which should be considered when you compare the two teams defensively last night.

 

I get it and respect the argument. But how many points you give up defensively will be a function of the quality of the offense they go up against. Florida is a better team offensively than Houston, eye test and metrics. Houston is also rated better than Florida defensively using almost any standard and advanced metrics you can find. Look at their scores throughout the tournament, only Gonzaga scored over 70 against them.

As for your eye test argument, we'll have to agree to partially disagree. We agree Houston gets away too much physicality, that needs to be officiated out of the game and inflates their defensive productivity. I just don't agree Monday showed or proved Florida was a better overall defensive team than Houston, too many other games the last two weeks provided counter-evidence.

 

You must really dislike Golden

 

Golden sure thinks it helps

 

It all happened after the T on the Gator bench. Golden spent the whole time stoppage in the ref’s ear. I was at the game watching coach go after him.

At that point we had 7 fouls to their 0 or 1. Not much later the foul count was 7-8 in our favor.

Changed the whole game. I credit the Gator bench.

 

Since this is a discussion about Gator defensive prowess that brings me to the skill set of CTG. My mind is blown on the coach's decision to make the Gators play the game they don't usually play by having the team take the street fight Houston wanted and give it back to them. THIS tactical maneuver by CTG threw the Cougars off balance in the second half as the Gators started handing it back to them punch for punch. CTG's halftime adjustments and his tactical decision to have the team play a certain way not only using the strengths of the team but countering the opponent on their own tuff exposing THEIR weaknesses. It wasn't the fact the Cougars stopped driving to the basket to draw fouls the way the Gators were doing it was the fact they were getting boxed out being prevented from driving to the basket. Yeah, I know there were 24 fouls called in the second half but it turned out at the end of the game Houston had 19 while the Gators had 9. That sent the Gators the free throw line way more than Houston. CTG is really something and we are damn lucky to have him.

 

You start with analytics, but you still have to coach. I love that Golden is confident enough to tell his players they are good enough to win the Natty. I love that he manages the refs by doing the baseball act where you throw a fit to get the refs to act right. That call to review on the non-call on Haugh vs Auburn was a masterful move. It was less about the review, but more about letting the refs know they missed the call.

 

Houston's Sharp may have to be in therapy for a while. First, he has the ball bounce off his leg out of bounds to the Gators. Then, he can't get a shot off to attempt to win the game. He may not sleep for weeks.

 

I agree and think Ole Miss helped us prepare for this game because I think they play similar so-called defense as Houston.

 

The panoply of heart-broken athletes that will be remembered forever may need to make room for a new member.

 

We emerged from SEC play a significantly better team than we were when we entered it. You could see the change in us about halfway through. Tougher, grittier.

 

Not sure anyone thinks you play basketball with numbers. But analytics help confirm—or contradict—what you think you see on the court. If the vast majority of elite coaches rely on data in some measure to analyze what they do on the court and what they need to do better, it’s hard to imagine even a serious fan who knows a lot about the game gainsaying them.

 

makes sense, it's all about mechanics and repetition. If you can shoot your jump-shots like you shoot FTs, it does work. I actually watched Steph Curry's Master Class on shooting, and tweaked my shot a little. If you notice how Steph shoots almost from the chest, it's similar to Clayton Jr's, though Walt's a little bit more right of center - that helps keep his elbow straight. A lot of great shooters these days shoot like that (Steve Nash had a similar shot and release too). I think it's because they're smaller guys who learned to shoot at a young age, it gives you more leverage. Anyway, it's working for me so far. Took some time to adjust, but it's starting to feel really natural after decades of shooting from a higher release point. It's worth a watch.

 

Those who complained about too many fouls called in the second half need to realize those same fouls should have been called in the first half. UH was mugging our boys.