Time to Meet the Press for Gottlieb, Cowboys

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Oklahoma State vs. Florida in today’s East Regional final might not be the most anticipated matchup of this tournament.

Try telling that to Oklahoma State point guard Doug Gottlieb, who has been looking forward to this ever since, oh, about midnight Friday night.

On his way to the postgame news conference after the Cowboys defeated Seton Hall, he told Coach Eddie Sutton, “I thrive on those presses.”

Replied Sutton: “You’ll get your chance Sunday afternoon.”

A point guard must have very little fear and perhaps too much bravado to actually anticipate facing Florida’s full-court press. It’s like a river rafter shooting the rapids or a skier descending down a steep slope. Danger lurks at every turn, but it can be exhilarating.

Gottlieb survived Pepperdine’s press and is ready for the next challenge.

“They have great athletes,” Gottlieb said. “They have McDonald’s All-Americans and they come running at you in waves. It’s a different animal. This is a team that plays that kind of style from the get-go and they run and condition to play that style. Pepperdine is a trapping, pressing team, but it’s not the same type of 40-minutes-of-hell-type deal.”

The Cowboys, by contrast, concentrate on half-court defense. Seton Hall resorted to chucking 34 three-point shots at them Friday night and made only 11.

“If you look at the teams that are left, they are all good defensive ballclubs,” Sutton said. “Teams that win consistently over time are teams that play solid defense.”

Oklahoma State will run when the opportunity arises, and Gottlieb is always looking for the long touchdown pass. The Cowboys just don’t want to get caught matching Florida fastbreak for fastbreak.

“If they get you in a pingpong game, you’re going to lose,” Sutton said.

There are other aspects to Florida’s press besides the quickened pace.

“Our style of play doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to get turnovers every time we press,” center Udonis Haslem said. “I think it’s a 40-minute game and we try to wear the team down over a 40-minute span.”

Florida’s opponents are shooting 39% and have 55 turnovers in their first three NCAA tournament games.

Now they must avoid a premature feeling of accomplishment after they knocked No. 1-seeded Duke out of the tournament Friday night.

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Regional Final

Today

5 Florida (27-7)

3 Oklahoma State (27-6)

2 p.m.

Regional Semifinals

at Syracuse

1 Duke, 78

5 Florida, 87

*

3 Oklahoma State, 68

10 Seton Hall, 66