Friday, Oct. 12 Even without Kwame Brown, Billy Donovan has a healthy roster full of athletes to play 94 feet, all out. Brett Nelson has blossomed into a star who can play with others, and Udonis Haslem is again the best interior scorer in the SEC. With Matt Bonner hitting perimeter shots and the boards, Justin Hamilton guarding people and offensive rebounding, David Lee doing a more athletic Mike Miller impersonation, and Orien Greene and James White skywalking, Florida has athletic shooters, scorers and passers. The Gators will wear teams down on offense, then hit them with the press. Donovan proved himself an outstanding coach last year in the face of adversity. Now he gets to have some fun.

3
Florida
LAST SEASON: 24-7
2001 FINAL RANKING
ESPN/USA Today: No. 13

Why No. 3?
Florida would have been a legitimate top-ranked team had Kwame Brown gone to school and Teddy Dupay weren't dismissed for alleged gambling activity. But the Gators still have the talent to make a run for the title. The reason is they still possess two of the game's best players at their respective positions. Point Brett Nelson can change the outcome of a game as well as any other playmaker. He isn't afraid to take the big-time shot and he can create on his own. Udonis Haslam is one of the best finishers in the game in the low post this season. Haslam can be dominant on both ends of the backboard. He would have had more help with Brown but he's still just as difficult to remove from the post. OK, so that's two players. But the Gators can still play their pressing, trapping system with some of the best bodies for that style. Justin Hamilton is back from an ACL injury and is the team's best on-the-ball defender. He'll likely start next to Nelson, handling the ball mostly on offense, and being the first line of defense at the top of the perimeter. The slashing and disruptive style continues in highly-touted newcomer James White, returning and healthier big guard LaDarius Halton and still-developing Orien Greene. The Gators have one of the deepest backcourts in the country -- even without Dupay. Haslam has help, albeit not as much underneath the boards. He's got Matt Bonner alongside, one of the sharpest shooting big men in the country. Bonner has 3-point range and a decent mid-range game, too. David Lee can play a similar role for the Gators and comes to Gainesville with impressive credentials out of high school. Billy Donovan won't hesitate to use Adrian Moss and Bonnell Colas as rebounding specialists.

Will Rise If ...
Hamilton and Halton stay healthy all season and give the Gators the chance to be a pressing and trapping team. They can't afford to lose Hamilton again, especially without Dupay. The Gators' strength has always been its defense and its frenetic pace. They shouldn't have problems scoring and could get more help from Lee than originally imagined. But keeping with their system will mean having 10 players to rotate on to the court.

Will Fall If ...
Haslam doesn't get any help. If that happens, Bonner will have to play some more inside than he would like, and so too will Lee. Moss and Colas have to be factors on the boards to keep pressure off Haslam. He can't be left to man the backboard alone, especially with teams going after him and trying to get him into foul trouble.

-- Andy Katz, ESPN.com

SCOUTING REPORT: One SEC coach's take on the Gators

“

Brett Nelson is probably the best player in our league. He makes more clutch shots and does more things to help his team win. Udonis Haslam is a dominant big guy and hard to guard. Matt Bonner stretches you out with your two big guys. You've got to defend a lot of pick and rolls. Bonner is the silent assassin for them. You've got to keep Haslam away from the basket and you've got to have a big time defender to guard Brett Nelson. ”

2001-02 FLORIDA ROSTER
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Key 2000-01 Stats
(15) Matt Bonner	Jr.	F	6-10/237	PTS: 13.3 | REB: 7.7 | 3PT%: 38.1
(42) Bonell Colas	So.	F	6-9/205	PTS: 3.0 | REB: 2.0 | FG%: 58.3
(1) Orien Greene	So.	G	6-4/200	PTS: 3.4 | REB: 2.3 | AST: 2.7
(23) LaDarius Halton	Jr.	G	6-4/200	PTS: 3.2 | REB: 1.5 | AST: 1.4
(12) Justin Hamilton	Jr.	G	6-3/207	PTS: 6.6 | AST: 2.7 | 3PT%: 25.8
(50) Udonis Haslem	Sr.	C	6-8/246	PTS: 16.8 | REB: 7.5 | FG%: 59.7
(2) Ronnie King	Sr.	G	5-11/178	Walking on this season
(24) David Lee	Fr.	F	6-8/224	Can shoot it from deep, or dunk down low; Will flouish in Donovan's pressing style
(4) Adrian Moss	Fr.	F	6-8/203	Not Kwame, but a banger down low who will rebound with best of 'em
(10) Brett Nelson	Jr.	G	6-3/183	PTS: 15.3 | AST: 4.3 | 3PT%: 45.3
(21) James White	Fr.	G	6-6/172	Looking for the future of Florida? Look no futher than this high-flyer
Head Coach: Billy Donovan (102-56, 5 years; Overall: 137-76, 7 years) Assistant Coaches: Anthony Grant, Donnie Jones, John Pelphrey Home Court: O'Connell Center (12,000); Gainesville, Fla.

2001-02 FLORIDA SCHEDULE

November 8: Temple (a) 9: Maryland/Arizona (b) 16: Florida St. 28: at N. Hampshire

December 2: Tulane 5: Michigan St. 15: Charlotte (c) 18 High Point 22: New Orleans 28: Stetson 30: Belmont

January 5: S. Carolina 9: at Tennessee 12: at Vanderbilt 16: LSU 19: Georgia 26: at Arkansas 29: Kentucky

February 2: Miss. State 5: at S. Carolina 9: Vanderbilt 12: at Georgia 16: at Mississippi 20: Auburn 23: at Alabama 26: Tennessee

March 2: at Kentucky 7: SEC Tournament