Updated at 4:10 p.m., Saturday, March 10, 2007
Defending NCAA champ Florida rolls to SEC final
By Paul Newberry
Associated Press
Corey Brewer scored 22 points, Lee Humphrey added 17 and the sixth-ranked Gators put on another dominating display to beat Mississippi 80-59 in the SEC semifinals today.
Florida (28-5) jumped out to a quick 11-point lead and was never seriously challenged by the Rebels (20-12), who likely cost themselves a chance to slip into the NCAA field.
After winning the national championship last season, Gator stars Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah were projected as first-round NBA draft picks. Instead, they defied expectations by returning together for their junior season.
''Here's a group of kids that chose the University of Florida, one another, playing with each other, and happiness over all the materialistic things that are out there,'' coach Billy Donovan said. ''To me, it's an unbelievable story. Personally, I don't think it's been told enough.''
Florida has won its first two games in the tournament by an average of 19 points to reach its fourth straight SEC final. The Gators won the last two championships and have a chance to be the first team since Kentucky in 1997-99 to win three straight tournament titles.
''I think we play our best basketball when tournament season starts,'' Brewer said.
Florida advanced to play Arkansas in tomorrow's championship game. The Razorbacks knocked off Mississippi State 81-72 in the other semifinal.
Ole Miss shot just 32 percent from the field (21-of-66). Clarence Sanders was the Rebels' lone player in double figures with 21 points.
Taurean Green added 14 points for Florida, which buried the Rebels by going 10-of-24 from beyond the 3-point arc. Humphrey was especially accurate, making 5-of-8 outside the stripe. Brewer went 3-of-7 from long range, which opened up the rest of his versatile game.
''When I'm making my outside shots, teams have to pressure me and I can drive to the basket,'' Brewer said.
As usual, everyone chipped in for the Gators. Horford had 9 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Noah grabbed 12 rebounds, scored 8 points and swatted away three shots.
After blowing out Georgia in the quarterfinals with the first 17 points of the game, Florida got off to another quick start. Brewer and Green connected from 3-point range and Al Horford scored on the inside to make it 13-2 with the game barely five minutes old.
''We're a team, and I think that's what they've thrived on, that's what they've bought into, that's what they think their identity is, and that's the way they enjoy playing,'' Donovan said.
