April 3, 2007

ATLANTA (AP) -Florida coach Billy Donovan calls the 3-point line college basketball's great equalizer. The Gators turned it into the great paralyzer in the NCAA championship game.

Corey Brewer, Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey made a combined 10 3-pointers in Florida's 84-75 victory over Ohio State on Monday night, giving the Gators another national title and securing their spot in NCAA history.

Florida, which became the first team since Duke in 1992 to repeat, also held Ohio State to 4-of-23 from beyond the arc.

It was a big disparity and an even bigger key to the game.

"They just did an incredible job of making 3s," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "That was one of the things that we wanted to hone in on and really try to limit and take away from their 3s. ... But they just hit a couple of those freakish type 3s that, you know, just were daggers for us."

Brewer, Green and Humphrey started hitting 3-pointers early and didn't stop, finishing 10-for-18. They combined for 43 points with Green getting 16, Humphrey 14 and Brewer 13.

"I think it was just taking what the defense was giving us," Green said. "Coach always tells us, once you have a crack, let it go, shoot the ball with confidence. When they made runs, I think we did a good job of just coming back and knocking down 3s."

The Gators (35-5) have done this before. They did it to George Mason and UCLA in last year's Final Four, and did the same thing in this year's tournament.

Green was 5-of-8 from 3-point range against Butler in the round of 16. Humphrey was 7-of-13 two days later against Oregon, and Green was 4-of-8.

Brewer was 4-of-5 against UCLA on Saturday, and Humphrey was 4-of-8.

They took it to another level against the Buckeyes (35-4). The biggest ones came late in the first half, when Humphrey, Brewer and Green hit consecutive 3s that turned a two-point lead, 24-22, into an 11-point game, 33-22.

"Their key players stepped up in the big-time situations," Ohio State guard Mike Conley Jr. said. "That's why they're national champions again. You know, they're a great team. They're deserving of it."

The Gators used countless screens and pick-and-roll plays to get open looks.

And most of the shots went down.

Humphrey extended his NCAA tournament record for 3-pointers to 47. Green made all three of his treys. And Brewer's three 3s helped him earn the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player award.

"I thought the 3-point line was key," Humphrey said.

Indeed, it was important for the Gators - on offense and defense.

Florida was content to let 7-foot freshmen Greg Oden run amok in the paint. The Gators refused to double team Oden, concerned more about not letting Conley, Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler get open 3s and beat them from outside.

"It's kind of been our main focus this entire year," Humphrey said. "Tonight we really thought it was important just (because of) the amount of good shooters they had. We did a good job of guarding the 3-point line and making them take tough twos."

Ohio State got within 66-60 with 5:03 left. But Green nailed a 3 a few seconds later, and the Buckeyes didn't get any closer.

"It was real deflating. You try to make a run and they come back every time," said Lewis, who was 0-for-4 on 3s. "When you're trying to get back in the game, you're out there shooting, thinking and knowing it's about to fall for you, but it's not going in for you. It's real frustrating."

Butler was 1-for-6 on 3s, and Harris finished 2-for-8.

"I think we'd rather give up a two instead of a 3 any day," Florida's Chris Richard said. "They had a few 3s, not anything major to get them into the game. We did a good job defending the perimeter."