NASHVILLE – Matt Walsh, the Florida forward who never met a shot he didn’t like, has a personal credo, five words that mean so much to him and his considerable game that they hang on the wall of his dorm room: “Preparation does not replace confidence.”

Walsh has confidence in reserve these days. Last week, he was named MVP of the Southeastern Conference tournament after averaging 19 points and draining 13 3-pointers in three games, the last of which was a thumping of mighty Kentucky in the tournament championship. Walsh leads a transformed Gator team, seeded no. 3 in the Syracuse regional, into its first round NCAA Tournament matchup against no. 13 Ohio today.

A year ago, the Gators met Manhattan in the first round and were a popular upset special pick thanks to their embarrassing showings the previous two years. In 2002, Florida fell in the first round to Creighton on a last-second shot. Last year, the Gators were pounded by Michigan State in a second-round loss that exposed their lack of toughness and physicality.

True to form in 2004, Florida lost to Manhattan, tarnishing coach Billy Donovan’s boy-wonder image and prompting some changes in the program. Donovan went out and signed a couple of tough freshmen – notably center Al Horford – to bulk up the Gators’ post presence. He also hired former Wyoming and Clemson head coach Larry Shyatt, a proponent of physical, man-to-man defense.

Wisely, Donovan allowed Shyatt to oversee Florida’s defense, which went on to surrender 10 fewer points per game than it did last season. The changes were critical, as the Gators surged to a 20-7 regular-season record that included a 12-4 showing in the SEC.

Just as important to Florida’s improvement this season has been the contribution of Walsh, who gave the Gators a huge emotional lift by coming back from a torn ankle ligament suffered just before conference play began in January. The injury was supposed to keep Walsh off the floor for up to six weeks. He was back after two and a half.

It took Walsh a bit longer than that to regain his shooting touch, but as his heroics in the SEC Tournament proved, he’s back to full strength.

“I felt good shooting that whole weekend in Atlanta [site of the SEC Tournament],”Walsh said. “I feel I’m at where I was before I hurt my ankle. I’m as confident as I can be.”

The same goes for his team, which has a thing or two to prove in this tournament.

“Last year, we were really drained by this point,” said senior forward David Lee. “I remember doing the same [pretournament] media session and thinking ‘Man, we’re just worn out as a team.’ This year, it’s a completely different feel. We’re confident, got a little swagger going. Now we’re looking to make a run.”

No one understands Florida’s new attitude better than Ohio coach Tim O’Shea, whose young team will wrestle the Gators after winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

“We’ve got our hands full,” O’Shea said. “It’s a real disadvantage to play a team that lost in the first round a year ago. If we beat Florida, we’ll have to beat them straight up. It’s not like they won’t be ready to play us.”

Ohio isn’t the typical team the MAC sends to the tournament.

“We’re unusual as far as the MAC representative,” O’Shea said. “Usually, you’ll get a team with three, maybe four seniors that might have played in the NIT the year before. We bring a team in here that starts two freshmen and a sophomore.”

After finishing 10-20 in 2003-04,Ohio was picked to finish last in the MAC’s East Division. Instead, they confounded the conference by going 21-10 overall and winning the league tournament.

A couple of unknown commodities helped rescue the Bobcats. MAC Freshman of the Year Leon Williams averaged 12.0 points and 8.6 rebounds. He scored 29 points and grabbed 15 boards in the MAC tournament title game, tipping in the winning shot with a half-second to play. Another freshman, guard Jeremy Fears, averages nearly 11 points.

If NCAA history has taught us anything, it’s that underclassmen are a notorious liability come tournament time. But if Fears, Williams, and the Bobcats can play with the same confidence that has carried them to Nashville, the Gators might find themselves on yet another early flight home.

Mr. Dortch is the editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.