FAB FIVE
By KEVIN BROCKWAY Sun sports writer Florida guard Taurean Green shoots past Georgia's Billy Humphrey during the teams' first meeting this season, on Jan. 6 in the O'Connell Center. The Gators, winners in the previous meeting, 67-51, face the Bulldogs tonight in Athens, Ga. [ Gainesville Sun file photo ] No. 1 Florida won a national championship last season with balanced scoring at the five starting positions. All five starters ended the season averaging double figures in scoring. With the starting five back, it's been more of the same this year. Point guard Taurean Green leads Florida in scoring with 13.6 points per game, while shooting guard Lee Humphrey is fifth among the starters in scoring at 10.7 points per game. That balance will be reflected in the record books when the careers of the starting five are over. Corey Brewer, at 985 points, is 15 points shy of being the 38th 1,000-point scorer in Florida history. That could happen tonight when the top-ranked Gators (21-2, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) start the second half of their league schedule at Georgia. More potential 1,000-point scorers are on the way. Green is next in line at 961 career points, followed by Joakim Noah (956 points), Humphrey (914 points) and Al Horford (885 points). Brewer said Monday he wasn't aware he was that close to 1,000 points. "That means a lot," Brewer said. "Hopefully all five of us can get to 1,000 points before the season is over. That would mean a whole lot." Florida had three 1,000-point scorers on the roster when David Lee, Matt Walsh and Anthony Roberson led Florida to its first SEC Tournament title in school history in 2005. But never have the Gators had five 1,000-point scorers on the floor at the same time. "I think it's a great thing," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "I don't follow that stuff, really. I think points are a product of your teammates. I may be a little more impressed by the level of balance between those four guys being juniors. And even with Lee Humphrey, there are going to be several of those guys right around there." Florida leads the nation in field goal percentage (54.1 percent), leads the SEC in scoring offense (82.8) and ranks first in the league in assists (17.78). A big reason why Florida shoots for a high percentage is its ability to move the basketball and find players under the basket or open on the perimeter for makeable shots. To accomplish that takes a level of selflessness. While players like Texas freshman Kevin Durant receive national attention for gaudy offensive numbers, Florida players sacrifice a volume of shot attempts for wins. No player has attempted more than 14 shots in a game in SEC play. "Scoring 1,000 points, it's nice, but I'd rather win," Noah said. Florida takes a Division I-best 14-game winning streak into its game tonight. The Gators have won 20 games for the ninth straight season under Donovan and can wrap up their first NCAA Tournament No.Ê1 seed in school history with a strong second-half showing. "It just shows how balanced this team has been the last couple of years," Horford said. "That's the way we like to play. It's just exciting to see that happen." Horford, coming off a career-high 22-point game against Tennessee, knows he has the most work to do to get to 1,000 points. "That's do-able," Horford said. "I've just got to step my scoring up, step my game up a little bit. I'm pretty close. I gotta start going to work." Kevin Brockway can be reached at (352) 374-5054 or by e-mail at brockwk@gvillesun.com . |   More UF Men's Hoops: No. 3 Buckeyes bounce Wolverines « Starters strike a lethal scoring balance Florida driven by low expectations When pitcher Stephen Locke walked into Florida's locker room last week, he noticed a piece of paper taped outside the door. UF keeps shutting down SEC fun Bradshaw gets plenty of attention from students  |
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