Tide looking for long stay

Ken Rogers
Media General News Service
Published: March 12, 2008

The way Mark Gottfried sees it, Alabama doesn’t have to win four games to win the SEC Tournament and crash its way into the NCAA field.

The Crimson Tide only has to win one game — but do it four days in a row in Atlanta.

“We packed suitcases to be here until Sunday,” Gottfried said Wednesday in Atlanta. “I told them I brought four suits. they all packed a lot of underwear and a lot of socks — and we plan on being here.”

Alabama’s unlikely quest to an automatic bid begins today against Florida. The game tips off at 6:30 p.m. in the Georgia Dome. It will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (Channel 26 in Lee County).

Gottfried and Florida coach Billy Donovan aren’t naive. They understand the odds are stacked against a team playing on the first day. Arkansas, who won the tournament in 2000, was the last team to play on Thursday and win the tournament.

“It’s hard, obviously,” said Gottfried, who noted that fatigue is hardly the only reason. “Typically, the biggest reason why it hasn’t happened (more often) is because the other teams are better than the teams that are having to play four (games).  It’s not a fatigue factor as much as they are just better.  That’s why they win more. ... You have to go one at a time.”

Donovan, who has won this tournament the past three years and who has led the Gators to consecutive national championships, hasn’t played on the first day in the SEC Tournament since 2002.

“It’s a grind,” he said of the four-day, four-game challenge in front of his team. “This is different because there’s so little turnaround. Our basketball team hasn’t played three games in a row and no basketball team has played four games in a row (this season).”

Florida and Alabama (16-15, 5-11 SEC) opened the SEC season against each other in Tuscaloosa. The Gators overcame a 10-point Alabama lead in the first half and won, 90-83, on Jan. 8.

“Both teams have changed probably quite a bit,” Donovan said. “They had a big win over a very good Vanderbilt team. I’m sure they’re coming in on a high.”

Donovan said the biggest difference in Alabama will be continuity.

“(Rico) Pickett, being a freshman at the point guard spot, probably was an adjustment, as it is for all young kids at this level,” the Gator coach said. “(Mykal) Riley appears to be playing very well.

“At that point in the season, every team out there — unless you have a very experienced team — is trying to find themselves. Since we last played they’ve got 15 more conference games under their belt to play with each other.”

Gottfried said Florida’s ability to make clutch shots throughout the second half made the difference in the January contest.