Gators finding success with strong team play

By BILL
KOSS

Florida Gators
Basketball Color Analyst
Feb. 14,
2011




Sitting courtside at the Tennessee game on Saturday night with my broadcast partner Larry Vettel, I commented on the physical size and athleticism of Tennessee's players compared to the Gators.

Man for man, the Gators were outmatched. The team in orange uniforms was taller, thicker and more athletic than the team in white. It seemed unlikely that on this night the Gators could overcome a Volunteer group that also seemed more able. However, as has been the case all season long, this Gator team won the game because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

It is a team. T-E-A-M.

The Gators make plays for each other that defy the odds. They use mismatches to their own advantage. This coaching staff has communicated the value of making the next play and not dwelling on the last one. The Gators work their tails off on the defensive end, which takes its toll on the opponent at the end of a game.

Their collective efforts are much more significant than what any one player does himself.

Take the final two possessions of the game and focus not on Erving Walker