Florida Defeats Ohio State 84-75, Repeats as National Champs

This college basketball season started out with all the hype being about the fabulous freshmen around the country. It is ironic that the season ends with the championship trophy being hoisted by a team returning five starters. Many questions surrounded the Florida Gators throughout the year. Now the only question is where Florida's place is among the great teams in college basketball history.

Florida completed the season-long journey to defend their championship by defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 84-75 on Monday night. By doing so the Gators became the first team to repeat as champs in college basketball since the 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils. Florida is also the first team in the history of Division I college basketball to repeat as champs with all five starters returning from the previous year. Add that along with the fact that Florida won the national championship in football this season and the Gators are the uncontested kings of NCAA athletics.

The basketball game was as close as a one-sided contest could be. Florida grabbed the lead seven minutes into the first half and never relinquished it. Just as they have been for the last two seasons the Gators were carried by outstanding perimeter play. The Gators outplayed the Buckeyes in the first half on their way to an eleven point halftime advantage. In the second half Florida's plan seemed to become crystal clear. They were not going to double team Ohio State big man and All-American Greg Oden. Instead, the Gators would hassle the outside shooters of the Buckeyes while Oden dominated the paint. While Ohio State seemed to score at will inside they couldn't stop Florida's three-point shooters. In reality Ohio State was trading twos for threes. The Buckeyes did bring the lead to within six in the second half but they couldn't pull any closer. In the end Florida had too much outside shooting, too much experience, and too much talent.