https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ9fUJP6WFQ
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As UCLA took the floor for its scheduled shootaround a day ahead of Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup with No. 1 seed Florida, FedExForum’s rafters sported a noticeable gap.
The arena proudly displayed the University of Memphis’ past postseason successes, including a 2002 NIT championship and an NCAA tournament third-round appearance from a year ago, but nowhere to be found was an NCAA runner-up banner from 2008. The Tigers, led by star guard Derrick Rose, torched the Bruins by 15 in the Final Four that year, only to have their entire season vacated after Rose was later found to be ineligible.
So while UCLA doesn’t have to worry itself with one Final Four in a stretch of three oh-so-close runs from 2006 to 2008, the Bruins have been hearing plenty about the other two. In 2006 and 2007, a talented Florida team that included Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Cory Brewer sent the Bruins home in the national title game and the Final Four, respectively.
In 2011’s NCAA tournament, Gators guard Erving Walker scored 10 points in the final four minutes to lead Florida past UCLA once more, this time in the round of 32.
It’s easy to point to the history books to predict Thursday’s outcome. Personnel is a different story.
UCLA redshirt senior forwards David Wear and Travis Wear were the only Bruins technically on the roster during the 2010-2011 season, though they watched the game from home, having to sit out a year after transferring from North Carolina. Four Florida players – Scottie Wilbekin, Will Yeguete, Patric Young and Casey Prather – were around for the Gators’ most recent win over the Bruins, but were just freshmen at the time.
“We get quite a few questions about it and I don’t really know a whole lot about it, and I don’t think a lot of us do,” said freshman guard Bryce Alford. “Obviously we know about the history and how they beat us a couple times in the past, but we’re just going to focus on what we have at hand.”
What UCLA has is a Florida team that starts four seniors and hasn’t lost since Dec. 2. History is a fun topic of conversation surrounding the Sweet 16 matchup, but the Gators have already made plenty this season, finishing a perfect 18-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
“They’ve had very good teams in the past, we’ve had very good teams in the past, but it’s all about tomorrow,” said sophomore guard/forward Kyle Anderson Wednesday. “It’s a new team, this is the start of a new chapter.”
New chapter, same underdog. In order to knock off the NCAA tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, the Bruins (28-8) will have to beat a matchup press defense that has plagued nearly every opponent the Gators (34-2) have faced this season. They’ll also need to contain Wilbekin, the SEC’s player of the year.
Tasked with stopping the prolific point guard will be UCLA junior guard Norman Powell, who has been placed on opposing teams’ best guards all season, including Oregon State’s Roberto Nelson and Arizona State’s Jahii Carson.
“That’s my assignment. I know it’s going to take a team effort because he’s a great player,” Powell said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge to guard him. I’m taking it as that and I’m ready to go out there and do what it takes to help my team.”
That challenge for UCLA Thursday is not making up for the shortcomings of Bruin teams past, but showing up against what has for months been the best team in the country.
“We know the challenges,” said coach Steve Alford. “We’re playing our best basketball, and I think that’s what makes for a great matchup.”