Cbs/espn analyst and former Knicks and Nets forward Len Elmore saw Florida Gulf Coast in person last week. He breaks down the Eagles’ chances against Florida and today’s other matchups with The Post’s Justin Terrranova.
Q: What challenges does Florida present to Florida Gulf Coast that the Eagles did not see from Georgetown or San Diego State?
A: Physical play. Florida is a much bigger, much stronger team. You are talking about (Patric) Young, (Erik) Murphy, (Will) Yeguete, guys like that. They are all big, strong guys and are equally athletic. That combination could present an issue for Florida Gulf Coast.
Q: Do you give FGCU a chance?
A: If I were a betting man, I wouldn’t bet on it, but I could certainly see them doing it. They are a very cohesive team, and they are as athletic as any team in the country. More importantly, they are battle-tested. If they go down, they don’t stay down. If Florida jumps on them right away I don’t see this team panicking because they do have some veterans. They certainly have the skill to beat Florida, the question is whether they have the will to sustain it.
Q: Michigan State and Duke also meet. What abilities have allowed Mike Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo to have so much success in this tournament?
A: Their ability to adjust to their talent. Both of them are two of the most outstanding defensive coaches, and I think Coach K has a slight edge offensively in that he always finds guys that could shoot from the perimeter and big guys in the middle who can also do something.
Q: Is Oregon the first real challenge for Louisville?
A: I see them as an underdog with a chip on their shoulder because of a lack of respect in the seeding. No mistake about it, they are a talented team. But I think Louisville is the team to beat overall. They have all the goods with regards to defense, being able to score and experience. They have all those factors going for them.
Q: Does Kansas need Ben McLemore to break out of his slump to get past Michigan?
A: He needs to be a threat in the half-court situation. Going up and down the floor (Travis) Releford and guys like that can carry them in the transition because of the change from defense to offense. But in the half court you need McLemore to balance the floor and give Jeff Withey the room to work inside.