Gators cruise to NCAA men's basketball title

Last Updated: Tuesday, April 3, 2007 | 6:45 AM ET

CBC Sports

Earlier this season on the football field, the Florida Gators defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes for the national championship.

On Monday, the sport may have changed but the result remained the same.

Florida's starting five of Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Lee Humphrey (12), Joakim Noah and Taurean Green, from left, celebrate their 84-75 victory over Ohio State on Monday.
(John Bazemore/ Associated Press)

Florida led the 69th NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament nearly from start to finish and cruised to a 84-75 win over the Ohio State at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

With the win, the Gators became the first team to repeat as national champions since the Duke Blue Devils won back-to-back titles in 1991-92 and is the first team ever to repeat with the same five starters.

"I think this team should go down as one of the best teams in college basketball history," Gators head coach Billy Donovan said. "Not as the most talented, and not on style points — but because they encompassed what the word 'team' means."

Florida was paced by a balanced scoring attack from its starting five, which has been the team's hallmark all season long. Centre Al Horford led the team with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while three other Gators starters scored in double figures.

Forward Joakim Noah saw limited time because of foul trouble and was held to only eight points.

"The difference was they made some incredible plays, and we took away what we wanted to take away," OSU head coach Thad Matta said. "They were shooting runners in. 

"When you're playing a great team like Florida and those guys step up and make the plays, there's not a lot you can do. They made some incredible plays on us."

Ohio State's freshman sensation Greg Oden left everything on the floor in perhaps his last game in the NCAA, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a losing effort for the Buckeyes.

Oden led the Buckeyes in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots during the regular season, and lived up to that billing in the championship, but the Gators' frontcourt  of Horford, Noah plus reserves Chris Richard and Marreese Speights all effectively wore Oden down over the course of his 38 minutes played.

"They had four bodies running in at me," Oden said. "Chris Richard — I swear he plays on the football team."

Guard Mike Conley Jr., chipped in 17 points for Ohio State.

Florida was 10th in the NCAA from three-point range during the regular season, shooting 40.5 per cent from that range, but they were considerably hotter in the national championship. Paced by Taurean Green's perfect 3-3 shooting from behind the arc, the Gators shot a scintillating 55.8 per cent from three-point range- making 10 of their 18 attempts.

The win was particularly sweet for Florida's five starters who all decided to return for another chance at a title when several could have opted to pursue professional careers in the NBA.

"We all love each other and we all love playing with each other," Green said. "People made huge sacrifices.

"They all came back for this and wouldn't have been satisfied without it."