ATLANTA, Ga. ““ Between them, they average 25.4 points and 17.7 rebounds per game.
They shoot a combined 61.3 percent from the field.
They are both sons of former professional athletes, and are both expected to be NBA first-round lottery picks.
Welcome to Florida’s front line of juniors Joakim Noah and Al Horford.
“Do you remember the last team that had two lottery picks on their front line?” UCLA coach Ben Howland asked the media sarcastically today. “They’re a rarified duo.
“They have a special framework and point of reference that’s probably unique compared to most other kids.”
Last season Noah and Horford tore apart the Bruins’ front line, combining for 32 points and 16 rebounds.
Noah was also a factor on the defensive end, recording six blocks as the Bruins were outplayed in almost every facet of the game.
When the Bruins tried to double-team either Noah or Horford, both big men simply found their open teammates for 3-pointers and the Gators ran away with the game.
“That’s what makes Florida such a tough matchup,” UCLA center Alfred Aboya said. “Their outside game is scary. Their inside game is scary.
“They killed us when we doubled them last year, so we will have to come up with something this time around.”
This postseason, the Bruins have already had the difficult task of going up against some special big men.
Second-round opponent Indiana had All-Big Ten forward D.J. White. Sweet 16 opponent Pitt had All-American center Aaron Gray. In the Elite Eight, Kansas had future NBA centers Julian Wright and Darrell Arthur.
But none of those big men compare to the duo of Noah and Horford.
“They’re big, strong, physical, skilled and great passers,” Howland said. “They are the best pair of big men we have faced all season.”
Noah, for one, has enjoyed having a tag-team partner in Horford.
“We’ve been just having so much fun as a team,” Noah said. “It’s special to have a team like us. Al and I are like big brothers and we feed off of each other.”
Bruin centers Lorenzo Mata and Aboya and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute will have the combined task of containing the duo just as they have all postseason.
Mata, especially, has been the Bruins’ unsung hero this season, taking the defensive charges and guarding the opposition’s big men when needed, and he is looking forward to Saturday’s matchup.
“It’s going to be a team effort,” Mata said. “People all season have underestimated our big men, but playing in the Pac-10, we have held up against some of the best competition.
“We will be ready for them.”
GATOR PREPARATION: Howland said today that he has watched the tape of last year’s NCAA Championship game a total of four times. Howland said he usually watches each game the Bruins play at least two or three times the night of the game. But he was so disgusted after last April’s game, he did not watch the tape of the game for the first time until August.
“We were outplayed in every aspect of the game,” Howland said. “It was definitely difficult for the players and I to watch.”
DREAM FINAL FOUR: Howland said this year’s Final Four was a reporter’s "dream." Howland talked about the immense talent on all four teams, and the fact that all four teams have been ranked in the AP top 25 all season.
SPRING BREAK: With finals over last week, the Bruins were able to practice this week without worrying about classes. But because the Bruins reached the Final Four, they are substituting their normal spring break plans, taking their spring break trip to Atlanta.
“Not a bad deal is it,” freshman James Keefe said. “My friends are partying in Cabo (San Lucas), but I get to be in Atlanta trying to winning a national championship.”
DRIBBLERS: The Florida Gators are 12-0 in Domes over the last three years. Saturday’s matchup is the first Final Four rematch of two championship game participants since Duke and UNLV met in the 1992 Final Four the year after playing each other in the championship game. UCLA has lost its last three championship game appearances. If the Bruins make the championship game, there will be a viewing party at Pauley Pavilion on Monday night for UCLA students, employees and friends of the university invited to attend.