Florida Gators vs. UCLA Bruins: Q&A with Go Joe Bruin, Sweet 16 Edition

Mandatory Credit: ©Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Florida Gators face a familiar NCAA Tournament foe in the UCLA Bruins Thursday. This matchup between the two schools will be the fourth in the past nine NCAA Tournaments. Florida has a 3-0 record against UCLA all-time with all of the wins coming in the tournament. But this team is completely different from the teams the Gators faced in 2006, 2007, and 2011. There’s a new coach in Steve Alford and with it, a new philosophy. To help get a better idea of what kind of team the Bruins are, we asked our friends at Go Joe Bruin to answer a few questions. We, of course, returned the favor, so head on over to enemy territory. Mike W.R. was nice enough to answer our questions and, quite honestly, he’s a pretty cool guy. As it turns out, sunshine and warm weather might be the only thing the Gators and Bruins share:

Brett: Florida fans might not be that familiar with UCLA. Give me your best assessment of the team and where they stand now.

Mike: The Bruins are a team that has recently found their identity. All season they have tried to show that they are an up-tempo team, which they were, but they did not have total chemistry. This post-season has brought a desire for success and has knocked it up a notch in all facets of their game. The main thing about UCLA is that their defense and rebounding is not the joke it was at the beginning of the season, which even surprises us at times.

Brett: How is this team different from the teams the Gators faced in 2006, 2007, and 2011?

Mike: I love former UCLA head coach Ben Howland, but I am one of those that thought it was time for him to go. The Bruins have a new style which is up-tempo offensive. That is in stark contrast to the tough and grind-it-out defensive style of “Ben Ball” he had in ’06 and ’07. Those were great defensive teams (2011, not so much). This 2014 UCLA team is long, tall and fast. They are lead by offensive machine, 6’9″ point guard Kyle Anderson who leads the team in assists, rebounds and is second in scoring behind a sweet shooter, Jordan Adams. These Bruins like to score and they like to do it a lot.

Brett: Who’s a player on UCLA to watch out for?

Mike: Do not take your eyes off Adams and Anderson because they are great players, but the most intriguing Bruins right now is junior guard, Norman Powell. He has long been said to be the most athletic guy on the team, which he has proven with highlight dunk after highlight dunk after highlight dunk after… you get the picture. He is a mad man who is all over the court. He has great energy and a good sense of where everything is on the court. He is just a damn fine athlete to watch.

Brett: What worries you the most about Florida?

Mike: Billy freakin’ Donovan. He has gotten Florida to college basketball elite status and kept them there. It’s brilliant. He is a great coach that gets his teams battle-ready. We Bruins hate him for that. Ha! All jokes aside, he is one of the best coaches in Division I hoops. I mean come on, 28 wins in a row? That’s incredible. Not to mention he has 4 seniors who have worked day in and day out with his style of play their entire college careers. The experience is there, that is what worries me.

Brett: Prediction time: Give me a final score.

Mike: If I made this prediction after UCLA’s loss in their regular season finale to a bad Washington State team, I would say Florida by 30, I am not kidding you. But there is something about these Bruins in the postseason that has come alive. I say there will be an upset as UCLA beats Florida, 88-83. Heck, while we are at it…in DOUBLE OVERTIME!

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