Florida’s Mike White On Michigan: ‘Terrific – I was Incredibly Impressed’

DES MOINES, Iowa — It’s hard to appreciate how stifling Michigan can be on the defensive end until you see it up close. Florida head coach Mike White had an inkling, but the Wolverines were even better than advertised in holding the Gators in check in a 64-49 U-M victory.

Michigan jumped out to a 15-6 lead with some great offensive possessions to complement the smothering defense. To their credit, the Gators didn’t fold. They battled back to tie, but U-M grabbed a four-point lead and never looked back.

White admitted he was thrilled to be down only four at the break given how many empty possessions they had. But U-M continued to come at them in waves, and it was overwhelming.

“A big factor in playing from behind is that you're playing the top-ranked defensive efficiency team in the country,” White said. “We saw firsthand how tough, physical, connected that defense is. They are terrific.

“I'm not going to sit here and say we played poorly. We did some good things; just didn't do enough. They guarded at a really high level, as they do. We wish them the best.”

It started at point guard, where junior Zavier Simpson was his usual relentless self. Florida point guard Andrew Nembhard dished eight assists and will be a good one, but you could see it on his face throughout the game — he was never comfortable, and Simpson was the reason why.

“I think it was just how disciplined they were on defense, setting down driving angles and not letting us get our shots off easily, good ball screen coverage,” Nembhard said. “But just overall, their defense throughout the game was pretty consistent.”

There was a moment midway through the second half, White added, that he realized the enormity of his team’s task. A couple blocked shots, some transition points and U-M pulled away.

"As good as they are defensively, another thing that our guys can learn from Michigan — every game, win or lose, we like to think that we've got a lot to learn from — and with these guys as good as they are defensively, offensively I thought they were very, very sound,” he said. “They do what they do. Their roles are very well defined. I was incredibly impressed.”

Especially with Simpson, who played all 40 minutes and didn’t show any sign of fatigue at all.

“It's hard to appreciate how good Zavier Simpson is on film,” White said. “Incredibly impressed with his toughness, accountability, leadership, the way he barks at his teammates, the way they respond to him. The guy just doesn't make any mistakes. He is out there plugging away, playing the game offensively and defensively … really, really good.”

Of all the teams they’ve faced this year, he added — a list that includes Tennessee, Kentucky, Auburn, even Michigan State — U-M was among the most impressive.

The Wolverines had a few dry spells offensively, but news flash … most teams do.

White has tried to explain that to his hometown media, apparently, but he re-emphasized it in the postgame. It’s not a game of perfect; it’s about being good enough to win on any given day.

Simpson, for one, didn’t want to hear about the missed opportunities on offense.

“We won,” he said. “That’s all I care about.”

White would have loved to say the same.

“We talked in the pregame and said there are going to be some dry stretches in this game. I'm just telling you that, and I know you don't want to hear that,” he said. “They're terrific, and talking to my team, just like you guys are terrific defensively, teams will go through dry spells. I don't know outside of Kentucky that we've seen a team that's this sound.

“We've got to maintain composure and continue plugging away, stay the course, and we didn't do a very good job of that.”

Michigan was the reason for that, and even the Gators players gave their respect.

“I just thought they were super disruptive on the defensive end and they really played their principles,” forward Jalen Hudson said. “It was hard for us to get into the lane and shake them at all. You have to credit them for their defense tonight.

“I can see why they're No. 1 in college basketball for defense. They were super solid. Everything we tried to run or the mistakes they made they had to cover them so fast, and they had the seven-footer [Jon Teske]. Even when you did get in the paint it was tough and he was blocking them. And on the perimeter we had to take late shots that altered our shots, too.”

It caused them to freak out a bit down the stretch, White admitted. He summed it up in one succinct sentence.

“They'll do that to you,” he said.

All the way to the Sweet 16 in Anaheim … and maybe beyond.

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