NCAA Bracket 2011 Results: Florida Gators Sharp in Big Tournament Win over UCSB

The Florida Gators look like a team with their eyes on the Final Four.

On a day full of upsets, and near-upsets of some heavyweights, Florida started their first-round game against UC Santa Barbara with a bang. This one was over early.

The Gators opened up with a 10-1 lead behind Chandler Parsons' two 3-point bombs.

From there, they never looked back.

Patric Young, Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin controlled the paint. Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton and Parsons shot the lights out. If they did miss—no problem, because Young was there to grab the rebound.

By halftime, it was over.

Florida led 43-19 at the break, and from there, they just toyed with the Gauchos. By the 10:00 mark in the second half, it was 63-31. After that, Billy Donovan called off the dogs, and they traded buckets the rest of the way. The 79-51 score was deceiving because it was not that close.

It could be the Gauchos are just not very good, but before today many would've said the same about Princeton, Morehead State and Richmond.

No matter who the competition was, the Gators looked sharp. Jumpers were hitting nothing but net, passes found their marks, the ball moved quickly and rebounding was fierce.

Florida might not beat every team by 30 points, but if the Gators continue to play like that, they will be in Houston.

If not, somebody is going to have to play a whale of a game to beat them.