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A little too close

UF 74, MICH. ST. 70: Gators hang on after blowing out Spartans most of the game.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH
© St. Petersburg Times,
published December 6, 2001

[AP photo] Florida's Udonis Haslem brings down a rebound in front of Michigan State's Aloysius Anagoyne. Haslem got into foul trouble and finished with eight points and six rebounds.

GAINESVILLE -- With just under four minutes left, Florida had a 20-point lead over Michigan State, and the Gator basketball fans who remained at the half-empty O'Connell Center were chanting "overrated" at the Michigan State players.

With 54 seconds left, those Gator fans likely were wondering if they had spoken too soon.

With two of Florida's top players, Brett Nelson and Udonis Haslem, on the bench with foul trouble in the waning minutes, Michigan State mounted a late challenge but ultimately came up short.

Sixth-ranked Florida withstood a 12-3 run in the final minute to defeat the No. 24 Spartans 74-70 in front of 12,422 Wednesday night.

Florida forward Matt Bonner scored a career-high 23, including a season-high 18 in the first half. He also had 10 rebounds.

"I thought for 36 minutes, we played very well," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "The last 3:49 we just did not play very well, and that was a conglomeration of a lot of things: Brett Nelson made three straight fouls that stopped the clock, they made some 3-point baskets and we went 5-of-10 from the free-throw line.

"I'm thankful we got the win. But I thought for about 36 minutes we played as well as we have (all season)."

The Gators took a 69-49 lead with 3:49 left off a driving layup by freshman David Lee (eight points, nine rebounds), and it looked as if Florida (5-1) would cruise.

But Michigan State (4-3), which led 3-0 but had battled from behind most of the game, had other ideas.

A dunk by sophomore forward Adam Wolfe with 3:35 left started a 12-2 run over 2:23. Capped by a 3-point basket by Kelvin Torbert, the Spartans pulled within 71-61 with 56 seconds left.

Michigan State converted four 3-pointers in the final 56 seconds, and the Gators went 4-for-8 from the free-throw line during that span. But with the clock winding down, the Spartans missed three consecutive 3-pointers on their final possession and time ran out.

"I commend our kids for not quitting," said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, who has led the Spartans to three consecutive Final Four appearances. "I've been on the other side of things when we've had big leads. I'd say we deserve a little credit and they deserve a little blame, but we don't deserve a lot of credit and they don't deserve a lot of blame. I thought we showed some character in coming back."

Nelson, who scored 15, including eight in a row midway through the second half, fouled out with 1:17 left. He was 6-for-18 from the field and 3-for-12 from 3-point range.

Haslem sat for nearly 31/2 minutes with four fouls late in the game before returning with 3:11 left. His two free throws with 26 seconds left sealed the victory. The senior center, who got in foul trouble for the second straight game, finished with 8 points, 6 rebounds and 5 turnovers in 23 minutes.

"It wasn't anything Michigan State was doing to stop me; I just got in early foul trouble and wasn't able to play as well as I had hoped," Haslem said. "But as long as I've been here we've never been a one-man team, and it's good to know that if I get in foul trouble, or even worse get hurt, other guys can step up and play."

Florida led 44-30 at halftime after going on a 24-9 run that began midway through the half. The Gators' pressing defensive style stymied the Spartans most of the game, much to Izzo's surprise.

"Billy does a great job of rotating his players, but the pressure bothered us," Izzo said. "We never attacked all night, and never have we not attacked pressure."

The Spartans entered the game with a plus-10 rebounding margin, but they were outrebounded 40-39, 24-13 in the first half. Three Michigan State players scored in double figures: sophomore guard Marcus Taylor with 17 and freshman guards Chris Hill and Alan Anderson with 13 each.

Izzo said he believes Florida is headed for a great season.

"This is a potential Final Four team," he said. "I think they've got experience and they've got very good depth. They've got experience with guys who have been in the trenches before. ... This is a team that I think, as Nelson gets better, they're really going to have a chance to be something else."

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