Florida Gators - NCAA Basketball Betting

Last season, led by a wonderful collection of heady, all-around talent and a sparkplug of a coach, the Florida Gators won 33 games and its first-ever national championship. Then all five starters from that team came back and had another great season.

Last year, the Gators were able to fly into the NCAA tournament under the radar, with no pressure and no expectations, and they then proceeded to look like the best team in the country, sweeping their way into the national title game where they squashed UCLA 73-57.

This season, Florida has had to play all year as the favorites to win the whole thing, and they can't count on sneaking around any longer. Everybody gets up to give the Gators their best game. What's amazing is how well this team has played with that very large target on their backs.

Yes, at times, head coach Billy Donovan, in his 11th season in Gainesville (How can that possibly be? The guy could probably still play), has had to fight complacency. For the most part, motivation has not been a problem. This team is led by a fabulous five of senior Lee Humphrey and juniors Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, and Taurean Green.

Noah, Horford, and Brewer make up probably the best frontcourt in the country, and Humphrey and Green combine to create one of the Top 10 backcourts. Noah is a star, winning the Final Four's MVP last season and turning down the chance to become the #1 pick in the NBA draft. He may be a little light (weight-wise), but he's 6-11, has a nice touch and plays with passion.

Horford is tough on the boards, Brewer is a 6-9 slicer and a great defender, Green is the cool quarterback, and Humphrey stretches defenses with his outside shot.

Florida has posted a stellar field-goal percentage for the second straight season, rebounds well, plays good defense, is very balanced, and is probably better than they were last season - which is scary. If continuity means anything, and we think it does, of those five starters, Humphrey missed one game last season, and Horford and Brewer combined to miss five games earlier this season.

The Duke teams of 1991-92 are the last back-to-back men's college basketball champions. Right now, the Gators look to have about as good a chance as anybody has since then of pulling off that same feat.

Joakim Noah – It's a cliché, but he's the heart and soul of this very good team.

Taurean Green - Calm, cool, steady, smooth – just what you need at the point.

Corey Brewer – Does many things, and well.

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