Do The Gators Always Have To Beat The Georgia Bulldogs By A Ton of Points?

Written by Ryan Collins, Gatorsfirst.com Staff Writer

The answer, of course, is yes.

Nick “Wonderboy” Calathes had a triple-double as the UF Men’s Basketball stomped the Georgia Bulldogs 83-57. Calathes left the floor with six minutes remaining, to a triumphant chant of “triple-double” from the students surrounding me, and the alumni fans across the court.

Wonderboy ended his night with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists and performed an alley-oop-serving-up clinic for the home crowd.

Did I mention the UF football team beat UGA 49-10?

The benefactor of most of the alley-oop passes was Alex Tyus. Tyus played strongly against some larger competition (6’10’’ 265 lb Albert Jackson) and accounted for 18 pts in 22 minutes. Dan Werner had 11 points and Erving Walker hit three three-pointers. Chandler Parsons looked confident coming off his career-high bonanza at Vanderbilt, and brought the house down in the first half with a reverse dunk. CP was 0-3 from behind the arc, however.

The much-maligned University of Georgia basketball squad can make any team look like Wake Forest (could have been you, Duke), especially at home. However, the Gators played with speed on defense and forced 16 turnovers. Of course the Gators played with speed on offense as well, and Nick Calathes and Walter Hodge always hit the open man on the quick counter attack.

The outcome of this game was inevitable. The Gators now enter a brutal three game SEC East stretch, with each game on at 9pm on ESPN(weird, huh?). They travel first to Tennessee this Saturday (1/31), then play Tuesday at home against now-mortal-enemy South Carolina, and finish her off in Kentucky’s Rupp Arena next Saturday. The goal for this stretch has to be a 2-1 record, which could put the Gators on the inside track to the SEC season title.

Tennessee lost at home tonight to LSU, and Kentucky lost last night to Ole Miss, giving the Gators breathing room in the SEC East. Two straight losses and this last loss at home for the Vols will stimulate their fans to be extra raucous, especially on national television. Junior forward Wayne Chism is playing well and had 19 points tonight.

Look for the Gators to play up-tempo and launch a barrage of three-pointers, but certainly expect Tennessee to win the physical battle and snag their share of offensive rebounds. Also look for Bruce Pearl to don a stupid-looking jacket when he coaches on the court named for the women’s coach.

Did I mention the UF football team beat UT 30-6?

Projection: UF 65 UT 64.

Any thoughts?

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