2007 National Championship
2007 National Champions
Record: 35-5
SEC Record/Finish: 13-3 (1st, East, Overall SEC Champion)
SEC Tournament: 3-0 (Champions)
NCAA Tournament: 6-0 (National Champions)
"Back-to-back and unforgettable." - Jim Nantz, CBS
With the expectations of a nation awaiting, the University of Florida took its place in history with its second consecutive national title. A year earlier, the Gators had taken the nation by storm with no expectations at all. A year later, they took everyone's best shot and were still the last team standing on April 2 at the Georgia Dome. When it was all said and done, the Gators became the first team in 15 years to repeat and joined the great teams in college basketball history in the process.
Champions forever.
Florida's NCAA Tournament Path
Date Opponent Score Site
Mar 16 Jackson State 112-69 New Orleans, La.
Mar 18 Purdue 74-67 New Orleans, La.
Mar 23 Butler 65-57 St. Louis, Mo.
Mar 25 Oregon 85-77 St. Louis, Mo.
Mar 31 UCLA 76-66 Atlanta, Ga.
April 2 Ohio State 84-75 Atlanta, Ga.
Destiny Fulfilled, the Gators Win Again
As the Gators players walked off the floor in St. Louis after advancing to a second straight Final Four, the feeling wasn't of relief or entitlement, but of perspective. The players realized how hard it was to reach that point in time again and what a truly special accomplishment it was. Operating under head coach Billy Donovan's mantra of "Live In The Moment," the Gators were doing just that, enjoying the process as much as the moment itself. A week later, and after nearly five months of getting every team's best game, the Gators defeated UCLA and Ohio State to win a second straight national title. When the streamers finished hitting the floor of the Georgia Dome on April 2, the Gators had earned their place into any discussion among the great teams of all-time. They became the first team in 15 years to win back-to-back national titles and just the seventh ever.
The "History Boys"
After winning a second straight national title, Gran Wahl of Sports Illustrated dubbed these Gators as, "the History Boys, a once in a generation collective that achieved one of the rarest feats in modern American team sports." It was as much a tribute to the accomplishment as the path they paved to get there. The Gators were the epitome of unselfish. Its entire starting five averaged within 3.0 points of one another, but just as importantly, within 2.4 shots per game of one another, with none getting as many as 10.0 per game. Four of five Gator starters averaged 2.2 assists per game or better, and four of five had positive assist-to-turnover ratios. They posted 35 wins on the year, tied for the sixth-highest total ever, while the 68 wins over the past two years ties for the fifth-highest two-year total in NCAA history. And in its two national titles, the Gators were dominant, outscoring opponents by 15.9 points per game over two years. A once in a generation collective indeed.
18 In A Row
Over the past two years, the University of Florida was at its best when the stakes were the highest in postseason. During that time the Gators pieced together 18 consecutive postseason wins, the longest stretch since the great championship UCLA teams of John Wooden in the 1960s and '70s won 28 in a row (under a four-game NCAA Tournament format). Florida went 12-0 in the NCAA Tournament, winning eight of 12 by double-digits, and went 6-0 in the SEC Tournament with a pair of titles (to reach three in a row overall) in that time.
Donovan Joins Elite Company
Billy Donovan became just the 12th coach to win multiple NCAA titles and one of only four active coaches to do so (Mike Krzyzewski 3, Bobby Knight 3, Jim Calhoun 2)...Furthermore, at 41 years of age (now 42), he became the third youngest coach all-time to win multiple NCAA titles (Bobby Knight, Indiana - 35, 40; Phil Woolpert, San Francisco - 39, 40)...He joined legendary Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp as the only coach in SEC history to boast multiple national titles.
Oh-Fours Leave Lasting Legacy
Three days after winning the national title, Florida's celebrated junior class of Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green declared for the NBA draft, coming in together and exiting together as well.The charismatic group will forever be remembered for not only playing a critical role in the greatest chapter in Florida basketball history, but as much for the style in which they did it with. One of the four earned MVP honors at every major event UF played in over the last two years...Green won MVP honors at the 2005 Coaches vs. Cancer, the 2006 SEC Tournament and the 2007 NCAA Midwest Regional...Brewer earned 2007 Final Four MVP honors...Horford was the MVP of the 2007 SEC Tournament and Noah was the MVP of the 2006 Minneapolis Region and the Final...The four were a part of 92 victories during their three-year run...Each went over 1,000 career points last season, and they left Gainesville having combined for 4,650 points.
Humphrey Sets NCAA Tournament and UF Three-Point Records
When he arrived in Gainesville, few could have ever predicted that Lee Humphrey would not only leave as Florida's all-time leader in three-pointers made, but as the all-time leader in the history of the NCAA Tournament. Humphrey hit 47 three-pointers in 15 career NCAA Tournament games, but was at his best in the Final Four, hitting 18 three-pointers in four career Final Four games. Humphrey concluded his career with 288 three-pointers, while hitting a UF single-season record 113 three-pointers each of the past two years, the third-highest single-season total in SEC history, and he led the SEC in three-point accuracy each of his final two years.
Richard and Humphrey Exit On Top
Chris Richard and Lee Humphrey left Gainesville on top, culminating the two most successful four-year careers in school history, as the two were a part of 112 wins, the most in Gator history. The two passed former teammate Adrian Moss who left under the same circumstances a year earlier, with 102 wins.
A Final Farewell
Four days after winning a second straight national title the Gators were welcomed to a packed Stephen C. O'Connell Center for another championship celebration. The fans celebrated the Gators' remarkable accomplishment overlooking the floor from Atlanta and the Final Four, once again purchased by the University Athletic Association. The Gator Nation then praised and said farewell to a historic collection of young men that included seniors Lee Humphrey and Chris Richard, and juniors Corey Brewer, Taurean Green, Al Horford and Joakim Noah.
"They really enjoyed every step of this journey. I think they had a different perspective and appreciation the second time around for how hard it was and what they truly accomplished."- Billy Donovan
"Winning a national championship with no expectations - well maybe people can say, "they got lucky, they got hot at the right time." Then to win one with all of the expectations on you "I think they have to go down, in the word team, as one of the greatest teams of all-time."- Billy Donovan
"We enjoyed the entire process, not just the end result. We enjoyed being around each other, playing ball with each other, we were a family, and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world."- Al Horford
"We were the ultimate team. We were unselfish, we passed the ball, everyone made plays and everyone had a part in winning."
- Corey Brewer
"Just the opportunity to play with this group made the game of basketball so enjoyable. We played the game the right way, we trusted and loved each other like family, and we accomplished things none of us ever dreamed of because of it."- Lee Humphrey
"People can say what they want, but in the end, they do have to say, ‘yeah, they did win back-to-back titles.'"- Joakim Noah
