Florida Beats UCLA in NCAA Finals

The NCAA tournament this year seems a stronger brew than in years past. The Cinderella story of George Mason University ran to the last week-end. Glen “Big Baby” Davis and LSU carried the banner of New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana, which could do with reason to cheer. Duke and a few other favorites left early. UCLA was back just like when Coach Wooden ran the show. In the end, however, it was Florida and the kid with the bad hair that won it all.

In every college basketball tournament, there is a question of which schools to invite. With 64 places, maybe 40 teams are obvious choices. The conference tournaments provide a pretty good showcase if the regular season left any doubts. Yet, the screams from Hofstra and its boosters when George Mason University got the bid Hofstra expected after beating GMU twice were shrill, and some thought warranted. GMU, largely a commuter college and the poor relation of Mr. Jefferson’s UVA, many said had no business even being in the NCAA. Making the Final Four shut up most of the complainers and gave the rest of the basketball world an underdog to root for. That they were taken out by the ultimate champions was only appropriate.

The final, though, was something of a let down, but Florida will take the victory and the bragging rights all the same. UCLA lost 73-57 in a lopsided 40-minutes of basketball. The Bruins were outplayed on both ends of the court and truly didn’t look like they were in the same class as Florida. It wasn’t much of a game from their side.

Florida, to its credit, didn’t play down to UCLA’s level. Joakim Noah, the Gator’s leader and the man with the most memorable hair in sports since Colombian soccer star Carlos Valderrama retired, blocked six shots, pulled in nine rebounds and scored 16 points. The endorsements and NBA contract are likely to add up to nine figures.

Florida is, still, a football school. One national championship doesn’t make a dynasty, and the Gators are 10 behind the Bruins in basketball titles. However, they won the most recent one, and they won it convincingly. It’s just a shame that the final game of such an entertaining tournament was a damp squib.

© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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