Arizona Desert Swarm - Florida vs. Arizona: A top-10 showdown Your No. 1 free source for all things Arizona Wildcatshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46873/ds-fave.png2012-12-15T21:52:19-08:00http://www.azdesertswarm.com/rss/stream/35351272012-12-15T21:52:19-08:002012-12-15T21:52:19-08:00Lyons' floater chomps Gators
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-Qma0zhkg-AMO98zFYDyNNC7JHk=/0x586:2800x2453/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5083215/158410225.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Christian Petersen</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Arizona Wildcats made it known. With a win against the Florida Gators, they're a legitimate contender.</p> <p>Hours after the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/arizona-wildcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Wildcats</a> downed the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/nevada-wolf-pack" class="sbn-auto-link">Nevada Wolf Pack</a> in football by leading for the final seconds -- and only the final seconds -- the school's basketball team downed the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/florida-gators" class="sbn-auto-link">Florida Gators</a> 65-64 in McKale Center in a game <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175877/billy-donovan" class="sbn-auto-link">Billy Donovan's</a> squad looked destined to win from the beginning.</p>
<p>Though, instead of doing it in a laugher, the No. 8 Wildcats beat a talented No. 5 Gators team that displayed what Sean Miller must've feared coming into it. The defense was bothering Arizona, and point guard <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52527/mark-lyons" class="sbn-auto-link">Mark Lyons</a> had three of the team's eight first-half turnovers. But Lyons more than made up for it, taking advantage of a missed Florida free throw and several late turnovers.</p>
<p>Despite contact from powerful Florida big man <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123531/patric-young" class="sbn-auto-link">Patric Young</a>, he finished on a floater off the glass with seven seconds left in the game for the go-ahead score. The Wildcats led 7-5 just 3:08 minutes into the game, and they wouldn't hold the advantage again until Lyons hit the improbable shot.</p>
<p>Holding Arizona without a field goal for a good five minutes near the end of the first half, Florida built a 32-21 lead, going in and out of a man press and a zone defense that had the Wildcats guessing. Were it not for an 8-0 rampage, the Wildcats wouldn't have a respectable 32-29 deficit heading to the locker room.</p>
<p>With eight first-half turnovers, Miller talked his talk at the half and saw his team give it up just twice in the second half. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100849/solomon-hill" class="sbn-auto-link">Solomon Hill</a> came out of the break aggressively, hitting two threes and two free throws in the first six minutes.</p>
<p>But like a spring, any tension put on the Gators' lead only resulted in Florida relieving it to spread the lead back out. It led Arizona, 51-41, with 12 minutes to play in the second half.</p>
<p>Arizona found its biggest success playing smallball. Miller went with Hill at the power forward position and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/177169/grant-jerrett" class="sbn-auto-link">Grant Jerrett</a> at center, and that lineup along with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100845/kevin-parrom" class="sbn-auto-link">Kevin Parrom</a> at the small forward slot opened the floor and led to three-pointers by Johnson and Lyons to bring UA within three, 61-58, with five minutes to play.</p>
<p>Again, Florida looked like they'd finally put their foot down. The Wildcats, however, had other plans. They pressed off inbound passes, held Florida to one made field goal in the final five minutes and capitalized off gifts from the Gators. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101071/kenny-boynton" class="sbn-auto-link">Kenny Boynton</a>, a point guard much like Lyons in trying to learn how to play smart, jacked up two three-pointers in the final three minutes of play.</p>
<p>UA forced three turnovers within a 20 second period around the one-minute mark to score seven points in the final minute of play, setting up Lyons for the game-winning shot. The UA point guard had 14 points, three turnovers and two assists.</p>
<p>More importantly, he was part of the Arizona defense that limited the Gators. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52479/mike-rosario" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Rosario</a> scored 16, seven of which came off shot-clock beating bailout shots. Murphy scored 15, but outside of that, the Wildcats' young bigs held Patric Young to eight points, and Lyons won the battle of senior point guards; Boynton shot 2-of-10 from the floor for five points.</p>
<p>Hill led Arizona with 18 points and three assists -- not counting was his postup late in the game that led to a pass earning Jerrett a trip to the foul line. His defense on UF stretch four <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101072/erik-murphy" class="sbn-auto-link">Erik Murphy</a> was equally impeccable.</p>
<p>Parrom was again useful in the energy department. Along with seven points, he led the team with four rebounds and had three assists, helping steady the team by his high-post play in the Florida zone. And Nick Johnson quietly filled up the stat box, scoring 15 points, stealing the ball four times, and posting three assists on the night.</p>
<p>As expected, the Wildcats' big men didn't produce in the box score. They and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145027/angelo-chol" class="sbn-auto-link">Angelo Chol</a>, who played for only five minutes, combined for nine points and nine boards. But they held their own against Young, and they at least made Florida's guards think twice about going to the paint. The Gators took only eight free throw attempts in a sign that they weren't willing to attack the Wildcats inside.</p>
<p>That's if they could shed the Wildcats' perimeter defense.</p>
<p>A win against a top-10 opponent is nice for Arizona. Miller's not one to smile, but his mood as he walked off Lute and Bobbi Olson court was apparent.</p>
<p>That's because he knows how good his team is right now. Like all the other games, the Wildcats' sense of urgency refused to shine until the game clock neared its end. Maybe it was almost too close. Still, their calmness throughout only shows how talented and full of belief the players are; whether it's Clemson, Charleston Southern or No. 5 Florida, Arizona believes it'll make a run.</p>
<p>Florida shot 46 percent, 56 from three-point range and outrebounded Arizona 27-21 and 11-4 on the offensive boards. They had only 14 turnovers despite the flurry of them late. And Arizona won.</p>
<p>On a wild, wild day in Wildcat Country, bearing down never got more literal.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2012/12/15/3771990/florida-vs-arizona-basketball-recapKevin Zimmerman2012-12-15T19:06:02-08:002012-12-15T19:06:02-08:00Game Chat: Florida vs. Arizona
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wGi8WNgJUCgMBQhFhhvJFr8M8NI=/0x0:1000x667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5078057/141734441.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Christian Petersen</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Come talk it out as the No. 6 Florida Gators head to McKale Center where they'll face the No. 8 Arizona Wildcats.</p> <p>The New Mexico Bowl was pretty depressing and then really funny in the final 42 seconds. We're still rolling and conscious despite the confused celebration afterward.</p>
<p>This is, after all, a big-time matchup.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2012/12/15/3771748/game-chat-florida-visits-arizona-in-top-10-showdownKevin Zimmerman2012-12-15T11:51:54-08:002012-12-15T11:51:54-08:00Florida vs. Arizona: The Wildcats' statement game
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-LRyTmVsKlCgjWGDhvKUjJ-ZVf0=/0x0:875x583/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5059567/132357651.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Al Messerschmidt</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Arizona Wildcats and Florida Gators face off in the first top-10 matchup in McKale Center since 2004.</p> <p><strong>Time</strong>: 8 p.m. MST</p>
<p><strong>TV</strong>: ESPN</p>
<p>Florida and Arizona battled it out last year when neither team knew its identity. The Wildcats turned out to be an undersized, somewhat dysfunctional team that went on to play in the NIT despite playing the ranked Gators tough. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175877/billy-donovan" class="sbn-auto-link">Billy Donovan's</a> squad, while more successful and with a potential NBA star in <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145344/bradley-beal" class="sbn-auto-link">Bradley Beal</a>, took a while to grow into the Elite Eight squad.</p>
<p>The two teams come into Saturday night's game in McKale Center with a lot of similarities, the most obvious being experience.</p>
<p>The Gators have established college basketball stars in <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101071/kenny-boynton" class="sbn-auto-link">Kenny Boynton</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52479/mike-rosario" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Rosario</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123531/patric-young" class="sbn-auto-link">Patric Young</a>. Much like Arizona's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100849/solomon-hill" class="sbn-auto-link">Solomon Hill</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52527/mark-lyons" class="sbn-auto-link">Mark Lyons</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100845/kevin-parrom" class="sbn-auto-link">Kevin Parrom</a>, the three range from solid college role player to potential NBA role player, and the Lyons-Boynton comparison especially has a lot to latch on to.</p>
<p>Both point guards have NBA aspirations, but that's dependent on them proving worthy of running a team. They're both seniors who are sliding into the point guard slot, Lyons after his transfer and Boynton after firecracker Erving Walker's departure. Each of their performances will go a long way in how their teams do on Saturday.</p>
<p>Despite losing two starters from last season, the Gators have only gotten better.</p>
<p>Aside from Beal and Walker leaving, the Gators are the same team as last year's squad that the Wildcats took to overtime; that only means they're experienced. Florida has earned the No. 6 ranking and 7-0 start because of their defense. They press heavily, and while Arizona has seen that with Clemson, the Wildcats haven't seen it against a team quite like the Gators.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/69969/breaking-down-florida-arizona">Per ESPN:</a></p>
<h4 style="margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 7px; padding: 2px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; position: relative; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333; line-height: 13.63636302947998px;">Florida Defense Past 2 Seasons</h4>
<table style="margin: 0px 7px 7px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; border-spacing: 1px; width: 240px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13.63636302947998px; text-align: start;">
<thead style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<th style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #d6d6d6;"></th> <th style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #d6d6d6;">'11-12</th> <th style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #d6d6d6;">'12-13</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<tr class="last" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Defensive efficiency<</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">97.0</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">75.9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Opponent turnover pct.</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">19%</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">27%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">FG pct.</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">42%</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">35%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
<tfoot style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">
<td colspan="3" style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 6px 2px; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: #dddddd; outline: 0px; font-size: 9px; vertical-align: bottom; background-color: transparent; line-height: 12px; color: #555555; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<p>>Points allowed per 100 possessions</p>
</td>
</tr></tfoot>
</table>
<p>The Wildcats proved capable of scoring decently against Clemson last week, and they are eighth in the nation by averaging a whopping 117 points per 100 possessions.</p>
<p>What'll make this one?</p>
<p>No. 8 Arizona (7-0) will be challenged with taking care of the ball -- yet again. Lyons proved against the Tigers last week that he's going to make teams pay for overplaying him, mostly by scoring. Young will likely be waiting for him at the cup, and the point guard's decision-making at that point will set the tone for the Wildcats.</p>
<p>If and when the Wildcats successfully break the press and find themselves forcing Florida into help situations, then they'll still have to make shots. Hill, Parrom and Nick Johnson will obviously need to help out Lyons from the turnover standpoint and by hitting shots.</p>
<p>It would be surprising for any of Sean Miller's young big men to have big games on offense. They must only worry about defense and limiting mistakes as Arizona hopes to do as they do best -- working inside-out.</p>
<p>A loss may not be telling of where the Wildcats will be come the end of the year. But a win?</p>
<p>A win will be a major statement to the rest of the the college basketball nation.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2012/12/15/3770286/florida-vs-arizona-time-tvKevin Zimmerman2012-12-14T14:02:29-08:002012-12-14T14:02:29-08:00Defending Erik Murphy key for UA against Florida
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LFxG46PB8dXMVzQCc1nh5kIz3P0=/0x37:2647x1802/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5010191/20121129_kkt_sv7_797.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Florida Gators senior Erik Murphy will be a problem for the Arizona Wildcats just as they hope one of their young players becomes a problem for opponents.</p> <p>
<script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?&playerBrandingId=4ef8000cbaf34c1687a7d9a26fe0e89e&pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=576&height=324&externalId=espn:8730246&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true"></script></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101071/kenny-boynton" class="sbn-auto-link">Kenny Boynton</a> is dangerous. So are <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52479/mike-rosario" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Rosario</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123531/patric-young" class="sbn-auto-link">Patric Young</a>.</p>
<p>Yet the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/arizona-wildcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Wildcats</a> biggest worry might be big man <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101072/erik-murphy" class="sbn-auto-link">Erik Murphy</a>, the Gator senior power forward who shoots 43 percent from beyond the three-point line. Murphy is averaging 11.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and presents an issue against the Wildcats young frontline.</p>
<p>That group of big men has struggled to play perimeter defense when Arizona has matched up against smaller ball clubs, and how <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/177171/kaleb-tarczewski" class="sbn-auto-link">Kaleb Tarczewski</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/177165/brandon-ashley" class="sbn-auto-link">Brandon Ashley</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/177169/grant-jerrett" class="sbn-auto-link">Grant Jerrett</a> defend Murphy will go a long way in the Wildcats staying in it against a No. 6 team that looks closer to a top-three team in the country.</p>
<p>ESPN's Seth Greenberg believes the Wildcats <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8730246">will be challenged with defending Murphy off pick-and-rolls</a>. Help from the guards to push him out of his pretty good range will be huge. That, or Sean Miller's club can attempt to switch all screens when Murphy is involved.</p>
<p>But how comfortable will the bigs be doing either of those things? If they switch, there will be mismatches with Florida's lightening quick guards or Murphy in the post. If they are too slow to recover after getting help from Arizona's own guards, Murphy could make them pay.</p>
<p>There are two reasons to believe that Arizona might be capable of handling Murphy. The biggest one is familiarity with the senior. Murphy is from the same prep school as Tarczewski, and Arizona's freshman center played with Erik's brother, Alex, who is now a freshman at Duke, at St. Mark's Prep in Massachusetts.</p>
<p>In fact, Murphy's father, Jay Murphy, is a big influence in the New England area recruiting scene, and is credited with discovering Tarczewski.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-in-reply-to="279001065540706305">
<p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/gatorhoops">gatorhoops</a> Jay Murphy basically discovered and worked with Kaleb.</p>
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoodmanCBS/status/279002101034659840" data-datetime="2012-12-12T23:17:39+00:00">December 12, 2012</a>
</blockquote>
<p>The other hopeful point for Arizona is that playing against a stretch four like Jerrett in practice will help them compete against Murphy. In fact, Jerrett's upside is as good as Murphy, who is 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2012/12/14/3767564/florida-vs-arizona-erik-murphyKevin Zimmerman2012-12-13T21:46:43-08:002012-12-13T21:46:43-08:00The Kevin Parrom Effect vs. Florida
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OA46dzaDtzHYL8lb0cn0lF-BSOI=/0x0:449x299/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/4946477/gyi0063986853.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tom Pennington</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Arizona's defensive stopper, heart-and-soul swing man Kevin Parrom could be the ace-in-the-hole of Saturday's top 10 clash against No. 6 Florida. </p> <p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100845/kevin-parrom" class="sbn-auto-link">Kevin Parrom</a> had the play of the game in Arizona's 66-54 win over Clemson on Saturday. With the home-standing Tigers leading in the second half and Uncle Mo firmly on their side, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145215/k-j-mcdaniels" class="sbn-auto-link">K.J. McDaniels</a> went to the rim for a dunk.</p>
<p>Parrom fouled McDaniels hard. The Arizona senior went for the ball and made no contact on McDaniels' head or neck, the telltale signs of a foul with malicious intent. But Parrom's foul was hard enough to incite a Flagrant Foul-1 call, formerly known as an intentional foul.</p>
<p>Clemson extended its lead on McDaniels' free throws and ensuing possession, but what the Tigers gained in points they lost in momentum. Had McDaniels flushed home that dunk, an already rocking Littlejohn Coliseum would have erupted.</p>
<p>His foul was the ultimate bigger picture play. Arizona regrouped shortly thereafter and went on to win its seventh straight.</p>
<p>Parrom has an innate ability to impact Arizona's performance in ways that don't appear in the box score. His hardnosed approach sets a tone on defense. On offense, he can step up when needed. He's an effective jump shooter and has a knack for finding open seams 5-to-15 feet from the basket. But Parrom is the kind of player who can impact a game without scoring a point.</p>
<p>When he laid a hard foul similar to the Flagrant-1 called in the Clemson game on Arizona State's Ty Abbott in 2010, he made a statement: "No easy buckets."</p>
<p>The Sean Miller era began in earnest with that play. No player could better typify the arrival of a tough, new philosophy for a program labeled soft for years.</p>
<p>Florida comes to town on Saturday. Against the Gators, UA has an opportunity to prove that these aren't the same, soft Wildcats of years past. Florida ascended to the pinnacle of college basketball at the same time Arizona's decline began. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175877/billy-donovan" class="sbn-auto-link">Billy Donovan's</a> back-to-back national championship teams were loaded with talent, but played with an aggressive, take-no-prisoners style.</p>
<p>Donovan has instilled the same mindset in this year's undefeated and No. 6 ranked Gators. UF has held five of its seven opponents below 50 points. No Gator opponents has scored more than 66.</p>
<p>The Gators are also a balanced team, like the 2006 and 2007 champions. Four players average in double figures. Two are potential match-ups for Parrom: guards <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52479/mike-rosario" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Rosario</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101071/kenny-boynton" class="sbn-auto-link">Kenny Boynton</a>.</p>
<p>Rosario is a transfer from Rutgers and product of the talent-rich Tri-State area that cultivated Parrom's style. Rosario put up over 16 points per game in his two seasons at RU, but has taken a reduced role as a Gator. Last year, he filled a reserve role. This season, he's scoring 11.4 points per game.</p>
<p>Boynton is an All-America talent and UF's leading scorer at 14.4 per game. The Gator offense flows through Boynton, a fourth year contributor destined for the NBA.</p>
<p>Slowing the Gator guards is a key to victory no Florida opponent has unlocked yet this season. Parrom's lock down defensive ability takes on added importance on Saturday. With the inspirational senior leader on one of Florida's high scoring perimeter players, and budding star Nick Johnson on the other, Arizona has its crucial match-up.</p>
<p>Florida may score on Saturday, but the Gators' buckets won't come easy.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2012/12/13/3763730/the-kevin-parrom-effectKyle Kensing