Florida's season came to an end a couple of days earlier than the Gators hoped when they lost in the semifinals of the NIT. Even so, the young players redeemed themselves after an embarrassing loss in the SEC tournament and collapse late in the regular season.

The Gators won two games at home by big margins and then beat Arizona State on the road by 13 points -- matching their biggest win of the season on an opponent's court -- to advance to the NIT semifinals.

They then led a veteran Massachusetts team for a half before fading in the second half and losing 78-66.

But coach Billy Donovan, who had scolded his players after the loss to Alabama in the SEC tourney, banning the team from the usual practice facility and not allowing them to wear gear with the school logo, was encouraged.

A rare poor shooting night, not lack of effort or intensity, did in the Gators this time.

"I feel better than I did maybe three weeks ago," Donovan told the Gainesville Sun.

He added that the key now is for the Gators, who have no seniors on the roster, to learn from their experience.

Donovan nurtured his young Gators -- two freshmen, two sophomores, and a junior started 34 of the 36 games -- by keeping them in the state of Florida for all but one game in the first two months of the season, and the result was a 24-12 final record. Only a handful of Florida teams have won more games in a single season.

Throw in an outstanding recruiting class to the returning roster and the Gators look to add to that number significantly next season -- and contend with Tennessee in the SEC Eastern Division.

FINAL RECORD: Overall 24-12, 8-8 SEC, fourth place in the Eastern Division.

WHAT WENT RIGHT: With the help of a soft early schedule, the Gators got off to a 15-2 start that included a 2-0 mark in SEC play. The Gators shot the ball well (48.8 percent), leading the league in field-goal percentage for a third consecutive season. After a disappointing performance in the SEC tournament, they recovered to win three games, including one on the road in the NIT to advance to the semifinals for the third time in school history.

WHAT WENT WRONG: The Gators lost four consecutive games to begin March, a skid that probably cost them a 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. The span included their last two home games of the regular season (Mississippi State and Tennessee) and their opener against Alabama in the SEC tournament. They also lost their regular-season finale on the road at Kentucky, ending a seven-game winning streak against the Wildcats.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "One of the greatest positives about this experience for our guys is the fact that it went all the way to April. These kids I think played pretty hard and gave me what they had." -- Coach Billy Donovan, in the Gainesville Sun, on the Gators' season.

THE GOOD NEWS: Florida had no seniors and only one junior on the roster and still managed to win 24 games. Only five other Gator teams have won more in a single season. The Gators also have an outstanding recruiting class to arrive in the fall that includes November signees Eloy Vargas from American Heritage High in Plantation, Fla., and Kenny Kadji, a native of Cameroon who played at the IMG Academy and Pendleton School in Bradenton, Fla. They are 6-foot-10 and will join 6-8 newcomer Allan Chaney from New London, Conn., in adding strength up front.

THE BAD NEWS: The Gators were somewhat exposed near the end of the regular season and had stretches where they disappeared in games. Their loss to Alabama in the SEC tourney had their coach, Billy Donovan, questioning whether a year's experience would really help make them better. Also, with five signees from November, the Gators were one over the maximum number of scholarships the NCAA allows (13). But Marreese Speights will enter the NBA draft, which solves that problem.

KEY RETURNEES: Nick Calathes led the Gators in scoring and assists as a freshman and shared "Freshman of the Year" honors in the conference with Kentucky's Patrick Patterson. Jai Lucas, his backcourt mate, joined Calathes on the all-freshman team. Walter Hodge -- the "old man" of the group as a junior -- gave the Gators a 3-point threat. Sophomore Dan Werner was the No. 2 rebounder at 6.4 rpg. Freshmen Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus and Adam Allen along with sophomore Jonathan Mitchell provided depth. Mitchell, however, has been the subject of speculation that he may transfer.

ROSTER REPORT:

--Nick Calathes ended the season with 552 points, which is a freshman record and ties him with Joakim Noah for the 10th highest single season in Florida history. Ronnie Williams held the freshman record of 546 in 1980-81. Noah scored 552 points as a sophomore in 2005-06.

--Marreese Speights shot 62.4 percent for the season, which ranks ninth best all-time for the Gators. Had he gone 8 of 14 instead of 7 of 14 in the finale against UMass he would have tied Noah for the No. 8 spot and had he gone 9 of 14 he would have moved up to No. 6.

Previous Report: 04/11/2008