Florida's Seniors Have Storybook Ending
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 | Men's Basketball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Chandler Parsons and Vernon Macklin exited first. Alex Tyus was next.
Each of the seniors left to a standing ovation at the O'Connell Center on Tuesday night.
By the time fellow senior Adam Allen dribbled out the final 25 seconds in his first game appearance since 2008, it was difficult to imagine that the game was actually tied at halftime.
“It was definitely a fun night,'' Tyus said.
As far as Senior Nights go, Tuesday's was a slam dunk for the Gators.
Macklin spent much of the second half of Florida's 78-51 romp over Alabama smiling. You would have too. It seemed every time Macklin threw up a shot, it went in. He made 7 of 8 shots after halftime to finish with 19 points.
Parsons ran around the court as usual, making play after play while he filled up the stat sheet. He finished with a season-high 19 points in his final home game, grabbing 11 rebounds and adding three assists.
Parsons was having so much fun that at one time he even blew a kiss to his grandmother sitting courtside.
“She blew me a kiss, so I blew her one back,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Tyus added 12 points and nine rebounds as Florida's frontcourt trio combined for 50 points, 26 rebounds and six assists in a convincing win over the Crimson Tide in a showdown for the SEC regular-season title.
Florida clinched at least a share of the league title – only the fifth in school history and first since 2007 – by shooting lights out after halftime. The Gators shot 69 percent in the second half to outscore Alabama 48-21 in the final 20 minutes.
“We knew coming in that they were explosive,'' said Alabama coach Anthony Grant, making his first return to the O-Dome since leaving UF after the 2005-06 season. “The environment here was very loud.''
The announced crowd of 12,225 – the fourth consecutive sellout – had little reason to sit down in the second half. The Gators put on that kind of show.
Besides the seniors going out in style, sophomore guard Kenny Boynton heated up to help send his teammates out with a win, knocking down a pair of three-pointers right before halftime after UF missed its first 10 shots beyond the arc.
Boynton's shots seemed to set the tone for the second half. He hit another pair of 3s in the second half, including one with 14:49 that sparked a 25-6 Gators run, turning a 39-38 game into a 64-44 rout in a little more than eight minutes.
After that, it was party time inside the O-Dome. When it was over, Gators coach Billy Donovan said he was “emotionally drained,” partly due to what was at stake and the familiar face on the other bench.
The players just played.
“We knew as a team that [the first half] wasn't our best half of basketball,'' Boynton said. “I'm not sure if that's the best, but [the second half] is definitely up there.''
The most poignant moment came perhaps near the end. That's when Allen, who has missed three consecutive seasons due to multiple leg and knee surgeries, was inserted into the game by Donovan with 25 seconds left.
The last time Allen played in a game was April 1, 2008, at Madison Square Garden. The Gators lost in the NIT semifinals that night to UMass, ending the freshman season of this year's senior class.
Allen dressed out for the game after the coaching staff told him there could be a chance for him to play if the outcome was no longer in doubt. He entered to a rousing ovation. As he dribbled off the final seconds, Allen's smile was uncontrollable as the student section chanted his name.
“That was real special,'' Parsons said. “He got to end his career [at home] the way we did.''
Allen called it a storybook ending.
“They told me they might put me in. The adrenaline was pumping,'' he said. “It's been a long time since I've been on the court. I checked my jersey three or four times to make sure I had it on.''
The scene at the end of Tuesday's victory was one that Donovan was uncertain he would ever see with this group three years ago. The Gators were young back then, expecting the basketball gods to make it easy for them to duplicate what the 2004 class did – win SEC titles and national titles.
They quickly learned otherwise. Donovan reminded them repeatedly in practice and after games. The Gators finished no higher than third in the SEC East the past three seasons, and still haven't won an NCAA Tournament game since walking off the court as national champions in 2007.
Now that they know success, they want more than a regular-season SEC title. They want more than a Senior Night to cherish forever.
If they play the way they did in the second half against Alabama, anything seems possible.
“We put together a half there that was really incredible,'' Donovan said. “I couldn't be happier, more proud or excited for this group. This team has had an incredible year.”
Tuesday's win was the Gators' 23rd of the regular season, marking just the sixth time in school history they have done that. They made it to the Final Four in four of the previous five times.
Parsons said he “couldn't think of a better ending'' than what transpired Tuesday.
But he wants more. And he'd like to see something else, too. He would like to see Donovan win his first SEC Coach of the Year award after 15 seasons.
“He gets my vote,'' Parsons said.
You never know. This season has been full of surprises.
