Florida Gators
Michigan
March Madness Flashback: Gators, U.D. handle Western Kentucky
Friday, March 16, 2012 | Men's Basketball, Men's Swimming & Diving, Chris Harry
GATORZONE MARCH MADNESS FLASHBACK
On this day in Florida NCAA history: March 16, 2001 
The reigning NCAA runner-up Gators entered the 2001 tournament as the No. 3 seed in the South Region, drawing 14-seeded Western Kentucky in the first round.
It wasn't a particularly great draw for UF, what with WKU trotting out 7-foot, 300-pound center Chris Marcus. All he did was score 14 points, grab 16 rebounds, block two shots and give the Gators fits for the better part of the day at the Superdome in New Orleans.
But not the whole part.
Florida erased an 11-point first-half deficit, thanks to a 14-0 run in the second half, and held WKU to just five field goals in the final 16 minutes of a 69-56 first-round victory.
That was 11 years ago today.
Marcus may have been the biggest guy on the floor, but Gators center Udonis Haslem (pictured) was the baddest. Haslem worked the paint for 24 points on 9-for-15 shooting and cleared 11 rebounds. Guard Brett Nelson added 19 points.
Florida, playing with just eight scholarship players, shot 56.5 percent in the second half.
With the win, UF coach Billy Donovan improved to 8-2 in the tournament, with his .800 the second-best winning percentage in NCAA play among active coaches at the time. The Gators advanced to play to play Temple in the second round.
