Gators Knock Hogs Out Of SEC Tournament

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Florida`s big men normally get the most attention from opponents. Guards Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green took advantage in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament. Humphrey scored a career-high 25 points, Green added 20 and the 16th-ranked Gators beat Arkansas 74-71 Friday night to advance to the tournament semifinals. ``Our frontcourt has been playing great, so we know teams will be keying on them. The guards are going to have to knock down some shots. We did a good job scoring inside and outside,`` Green said. The Gators (25-6) will play No. 17 LSU, the regular-season champion, in the semifinals Saturday. Florida, which won its first SEC tournament last year, lost 85-81 in overtime at Arkansas on Feb. 18. That win for the Razorbacks (22-9) started a six-game winning streak that included their first-round victory over Georgia. ``We were a little lax in our attention to Humphrey and he torched us with shot after shot after shot. Taurean Green really stepped up big,`` Arkansas coach Stan Heath said. ``Three-point shooting as well as our defense not being up to the level it`s been at throughout the season were the two things that were the difference in the game.`` Humphrey had only six points in the first game against Arkansas, but he scored 16 points in the first half to help the Gators get off to a good start. ``Tonight happened to be one of his nights. We become a very difficult team when he shoots like that,`` Florida coach Billy Donovan said. When Humphrey cooled off in the second half, Green got hot. He scored 14 of his points after halftime. The guards combined for 10-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc. Al Horford added 11 points for Florida. Joakim Noah, the Gators` leading scorer, had nine points. Arkansas` guards couldn`t match the productivity of Florida`s backcourt. Ronnie Brewer, the SEC`s leading scorer, finished with 18 points, but Arkansas made just six of 21 3-pointers. Charles Thomas added 17 and Jonathon Modica had 13 for the Razorbacks. Arkansas trailed by only five with 6:10 remaining, but the Gators had a quick 6-0 run highlighted by Corey Brewer`s one-handed dunk. Thomas hit a 3 with 12.9 seconds left to pull Arkansas to 72-69, but Humphrey made a pair of free throws at the other end. Florida went 6-of-6 from the foul line in final 32.8 seconds. The Gators put together a 9-0 run to take a 47-36 lead with 13:53 left. Green finished off the surge with a 3-pointer. Florida took the lead early in the first half and extended it with a 10-2 run started by Humphrey`s consecutive 3s. Corey Brewer had a leaner in the lane to put the Gators up 25-15 with 8:46 left before halftime. Florida earned a bye in the first round after winning at Kentucky in the final game of the regular season. The Gators are in the semifinals for the fourth time in Donovan`s 10 years.