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UK Basketball: Donovan likes Cats' chances in tourney
By Keith Taylor/Sun Sports Editor
March 16, 2010

Florida coach Billy Donovan knows what it takes to win the NCAA Tournament and likes Kentucky’s chances as one of four top seeds in the prestigious event.

“I definitely think seeding makes a difference,” he said. “No question about that. They’ve had an unbelievable year and I think John (Calipari) did a terrific job with a lot of young guys on his team that are very, very talented. I think when you look at Kentucky, Kansas or any of those teams — Duke and Syracuse — that are one seeds, they’re teams right now that can probably make a strong case for winning six games (in the tournament), and I would say Kentucky is in that group of teams that have a chance to really, really do that.”

Donovan thinks all four seeds have a legitimate shot of reaching the Final Four, but added that “anything can happen” once the event begins.

“They have set themselves up to get to that point and play for it all,” he said. “This is not the NBA playoffs where it’s the best of seven (games). On any given night, anything can happen and that’s what makes this tournament so great.”

Donovan said the Wildcats’ youth and inexperience won’t be an issue once the tournament begins. Kentucky opens play in the tournament against East Tennessee State at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in New Orleans, La.

“I don’t think youth has anything to do with it,” he said. “I had a group of sophomores (in 2006) that were really role players and they ended up winning it all with very, very limited experience. I don’t think (the lack of) experience has anything to do with it. These kids at Kentucky or anyone else around the country that have had the type of season that they’ve had is for a reason.

“They’ve won some games where it looked like they were dead in the water and they found a way to win — you’ve got to give them credit that way and they’ve played in every possible situation and scenario. I don’t think this type of year that tournament experience means a whole lot.”

As for his team, Florida received its first bid to the Big Dance following a two-year hiatus. The Gators were one of four SEC teams who will be playing in the NCAA Tournament and will take on BYU at 12:20 p.m. Thursday in Oklahoma City. Florida is part of the West Regional.

Florida received a bid over Mississippi State, which won the Western Division and lost to Kentucky in the SEC finals Sunday. Donovan said he wasn’t surprised by his team’s selection over the Bulldogs and other bubble squads.

“I’m not going to sit here and make the case for our team over anybody else,” he said. “Rick (Stansbury) did a terrific job with his team and they are probably deserving to be in the (NCAA) Tournament. There was a push for us to take our schedule to a different level and that’s what we tried to do, and all we tried to do was control ourselves.”

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