By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 26, 2011
UPDATE: 7:07 p.m.: For the second time in this NCAA Tournament, Florida needed overtime to decide the outcome of a game.
But this time around, things didn't fall Florida's way.
The Gators squandered a double-digit lead midway through the second half, before eventually falling 74-71 in overtime to Butler Saturday afternoon in front of 12,139 at the New Orleans Arena.
Florida (29-8) falls one game shy of advancing to the Final Four. Butler (27-9) will advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive season.
The Gators hit 13 out of 14 free throws in regulation, but in overtime Florida hit 3-of-8 from the free throw line to help seal its fate.
The Gators led 33-32 at halftime, and neither team could generate more than a two-point lead in the first 5 minutes of the second half.
UPDATE, 5:29 p.m.: No. 2 seed Florida is leading No. 8 seed Butler 33-32 at halftime of Saturday's NCAA Southeast Regional at the New Orleans Arena.
A trip to the Final Four in Houston is on the line.
The Bulldogs have battled back from a double-digit defict.
Butler took an early 8-4 lead in the opening 2:17 of the half with back-to-back 3- pointers by junior guard Shelvin Mack to open the game for the Bulldogs.
But the Gators - aided by its inside play of center Vernon Macklin - outscored Butler 7-2 to take a one point lead with 13:39 remaining in the first half.
With 7:35 left in the first half, the Gators were shooting 50 percent from the field. Taking advantage of a size advantage inside, Macklin had 11 of his team-high 15 first half points and Florida led 25-15 with 7:01 remaining.
The double-digit lead wouldn't last long.
Butler outscored Florida 10-2 during a three-minute run to pull within 27-25 with 4:01 remaining.
The Bulldogs ended the half with an offensive rebound and a layup with :03.4 seconds remaining for the halftime score.
Florida guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker have struggled throughout the first half against a stifling Butler defense that kept both limited in shot attempts.
Boynton has five points and just one field goal; Walker has not had a field goal, but is 4-for-4 from the free throw line. The two are a combined 1-for-4 from the field. Mack leads Butler with 14 points.
Florida has shot 44 percent from the field. Butler is shooting 40 percent, and has hit 5-of-15 3-pointers to keep the game close.
NEW ORLEANS - Darrell Newman is standing outside the New Orleans Arena about 75 minutes before tipoff of Florida's NCAA Southeast Regional game against Butler donned in full Gator gear and cheering like he's on scholarship.
Newman and his wife Kim have made the 20-25 minute drive from nearby Boutte, LA., to watch the No. 2 seed Gators and the No. 8 seed Bulldogs battle for the right to advance to the Final Four.
Darrell Newman is high-fiving other Florida fans as they pass by and encouraging them to get fired up.
"We're trying to get them fired up," Darrell Newman said.
Kim Newman is a 1978 Florida grad and an avid basketball fan. Earlier in the day, the two were among a group of fans at the New Orleans Sheraton for a Gator pep rally. Kim had it all on videotape. They saw the Gator players leaving the hotel for the arena, and Florida coach Billy Donovan came out where the fans were during a raffle session.
"Here's Chandler Parsons," she says, proudly showing off pictures on her new camera. "Isn't he cute? And one of the players (Patric Young) touched my hand."
During pregame warm-ups, the Florida players seem loose and relaxed.
Outside, in front of the New Orleans Arena, Deborah Yarbaugh is decked out in her Butler gear, complete with a Final Four shirt commemorating the Bulldogs' appearance in the championship game last season (a 61-59 last-second loss to Duke).
Yarbaugh's 21-year-old son Charles has been best friends with Butler junior guard Ronald Nored since elementary school. Last year, Deborah Yarbaugh sent her son to the Final Four in Indianapolis. This year, because it's Spring Break, she decided to join him in New Orleans. If Butler advances to the Final Four in Houston, Yarbaugh will be there, she said, cheering on Nored.
"He's the most awesome kid," she said. "There's just not words to say about him. His dad passed away awhile back, and I just know he would be so proud to see him now."
Yarbaugh said she's an avid basketball fan - she even correctly called the Kentucky upset over Ohio State Friday night. So here's how she sees today's matchup.
"All they've got to do is stay on their game, pass the ball and run well, and they'll be fine. "Florida struggled a little bit early (in Thursday night's win over BYU), so if they can get going early, they should be fine."
Kim Newman has a little different feeling. She thinks the Gators are bound for Houston and the Final Four.
"I think it's going to be a good game," Kim Newman said. "But after Thursday night's game, in my gut I think they are going to go all the way. It reminded me of Joakim Noan and those guys on those (national championship) teams. They weren't selfish, and that's what Thursday night reminded me of."