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Haslem, Gators bully Gonzaga

Center's 27 lead UF to 85-71 win over team that knocked it out of the NCAAs two years ago.

By JOE FRISARO

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 17, 2000

SUNRISE -- Florida's hotly anticipated rematch with Gonzaga on Saturday turned into a triumphant homecoming for Udonis Haslem and Brent Wright.

The Miami natives combined for 44 points as No. 8 Florida defeated Gonzaga 85-71 in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic at the National Car Rental Center.

Florida avenged its 73-72 loss to the Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament on March 18, 1999.

"It was kind of good to get that monkey off your back," said Haslem, who matched his career high with 27 points. "Two years ago we kind of went out in a frustrating manner. It's a good win for us."

Haslem, who also had 27 points in the national championship loss to Michigan State last year, was a force inside. The 6-foot-8, 265-pound junior center hit 8-of-11 from the field and 11-of-14 from the free-throw line.

Wright, a 6-9 senior, had 17 points, including a pair of three-point baskets that gave Florida an 8-4 lead.

Florida, 6-1 for the third time in its fifth season under coach Billy Donovan, seized control in the first 11 minutes, building a 19-6 lead and holding Gonzaga (5-3) to one field goal in an 8:15 stretch. The Bulldogs shot 1-for-11 during that period.

"Haslem has improved tremendously," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "That's a credit to him and their staff. They really work on developing their players. He puts a tremendous amount of foul pressure on you when he takes the ball to the basket. Then a kid that big steps up and knocks down free throws."

With Haslem's size and ability to post up, Donovan wants him to get the ball more inside. The coach criticized his guards for not going to their strong center more in the first half. Haslem made all three of his field goals in the half, but he didn't have many opportunities.

"Our backcourt really needs to understand," Donovan said. "They think it's them first, and Udonis and our frontcourt is the second option. They got it backwards."

Gator guards Brent Nelson, Justin Hamilton and Teddy Dupay combined for 15 points on 5-for-15 shooting in the first half. The Gators were 6-for-17 from three-point range at halftime and finished 8-of-27.

"(Haslem) did a good job staying out of foul trouble," Donovan said. "The bottom line is our backcourt didn't do a good job getting him the ball inside so he can score. In the second half, they did that."

Playing for the second time in three years at the National Car Rental Center, the Gators weren't severely tested by Gonzaga, which reached the Sweet 16 last year and the Elite Eight in 1999. The Bulldogs not only had to make the trip from Spokane, Wash., they are without starting point guard Dan Dickau, who broke his left index finger in a loss to Arizona on Nov. 29.

Freshman Blake Stepp played the whole game at point. The Gators repeatedly pressured the inexperienced Bulldogs backcourt, forcing 19 turnovers (13 in the first half).

Getting production from inside and out, the Gators built a game-high 58-39 lead on a pair of Wright free throws with 15:01 left in the game. The Bulldogs pulled within 64-53 on a three-pointer by Stepp. For every counterattack, the Gators responded.

"Florida has a great team," Few said. "There's not really a weakness there. I thought we played solid for about 30-32 minutes. ... They are definitely a legitimate Top 5 or 6 team."

Casey Calvary and Stepp led Gonzaga with 18 points each. It was Calvary's thrilling last-second tip-in that eliminated the Gators from the NCAA Tournament two years ago.

"This certainly was a very different atmosphere," Calvary said. "This was basically a home game for Florida, compared to when we played in Arizona."

In the second half, Calvary put back another missed shot against the Gators. This time, his basket trimmed the Gators' lead to 69-57.

"No, that was not the same," Calvary said of his tap-in. "The result was two points, but it's not as valuable as the last time."

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