Joakim Noah, 2006-07 Title Team Visit Gators Ahead of FSU Rivalry

Twenty years ago, the 2006-07 Florida men’s basketball program won back-to-back national titles, the first time a team has done so since Duke in 1991-92. Over the weekend, several of those players returned to Gainesville, this time on the sidelines. 

Former Gators and national champions Joakim Noah, Walter Hodge, Lee Humphrey and Chris Richard visited the Gators facility to share advice and wisdom with the current team, but not about winning.

The words for the team reminded the Gators to appreciate their limited time in college. From Noah to Richard, the players shared how much they miss their team and their best years of basketball.

“Everything for these guys is focusing on the, ‘Can you make the NBA?’ ‘Can you do this?’” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “And he [Noah] is like, ‘No, just sit there and enjoy it.’”

Enjoying the moment does not mean taking their foot off the gas – the Gators are already hot.

Florida sits at the top of the AP rankings and holds a 2-0 record against in-state opponents, with wins against then No. 14-Miami to open the season last Monday and Jacksonville on Thursday. But one matchup remains to determine who rules the state: Florida State.

Despite being unranked, Golden thinks the matchup on Seminole turf will be on par in stakes and difficulty with the season opener against the Hurricanes.

“They’re definitively underrated,” he said. “Honestly close to, if not the same level as the Miami game.”

A big reason for that is Florida State’s front court duo, led by Marcis Ponder and Alex Steen. Ponder, a 7-foot freshman center, is averaging a double-double in two games with 12.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game.

Steen, one of the few returners from last season, is averaging 6.5 points and 5 rebounds. Golden said the two posts play differently, which makes them even more difficult to stop.

“They’re kind of a two-headed monster,” Golden said. “It’ll be a huge challenge for us.”

Along with him, Golden named Sebastian Rancik and Cooper Sweiger as other offensive threats down low. With the frontcourt averaging 6-foot-10, the Seminoles might create problems for Florida’s Big Three. 

Outside of Florida State’s players, the Gators’ biggest focus for Tuesday will be turnovers. In last year’s game, Florida beat the Seminoles 78-76, but tallied 18 turnovers. 

For this year, Golden mentioned Florida State’s defense is the biggest concern. The Seminoles frequently switch from zone to man defenses during the game, which tends to catch Florida off-guard. 

To prepare for this, the Gators practiced multiple offenses to different looks, including how to approach the offense if Florida State switches from drop coverage on ball screens to jumping the screen.

“I consider this a take-care-of-the-ball scout,” he said. “We can’t expect to have 15 or 16 turnovers and walk out of there with a win.”

Florida’s starting point guard will be a major help for that. Boogie Fland had 12 points against Miami in the season opener, but also only put up four points and three shot attempts against Jacksonville. 

However, Fland’s contribution comes with ball control. Golden calls him an organizer on the court, where he can calm the offense down to set up a good shot. His ability to score only for the team and not always look to score for himself also makes him a great point guard, according to Golden.

Those qualities, like fighting over screens on defense, are not in the box score, but are still just as valued on the court. 

“He’s one of the more underrated players in America right now,” Golden said. “A lot of the things that he brings to the table are things that a lot of people might not appreciate just watching the game.”

For players like Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, this will be their fourth time playing FSU, and not their first time in a hostile rivalry environment like Donald L. Tucker Center.

Golden wants their growing leadership over the season and experience from the past to culminate in success Tuesday night.

“My hope is their experience that they’ve gained being in the program shows up,” he said. “Stakes are raised a little bit with it being a rivalry game … Their experience should get us through.”

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