Nov. 21, 2005

WEEKLY AWARDS

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Florida.

Billy Donovan's program features four sophomores prominent in the starting lineup. The Gators lost their top three scorers from a season ago Anthony Roberson, Matt Walsh and David Lee. Florida played as a cohesive unit and was not phased at Madison Square Garden, scoring a 77-72 win over Wake Forest and a 75-70 triumph over Syracuse to win the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. This Gators squad is better than many expected and they will make noise come SEC time.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Taurean Green, Florida

The son of former UNLV star and current Indiana assistant coach Sidney Green came through big time at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. He scored 23 points and dished five assists vs. Wake Forest. Green showed great poise against Syracuse, again scoring 23 points, passing out six assists while hitting six-of-nine from three-point range.

SHOCK OF THE WEEK: Hawaii over Michigan State by 22

Yes, the Rainbow Warriors are one of the top teams in the WAC (behind Nevada). Riley Wallace's team handled top 10 Michigan State, 84-62. Tom Izzo's team had trouble with cramping, but the bottom line was simple – on that day, Hawaii was the better team.

COACH OF THE WEEK: Pat Douglass, UC-Irvine

Earlier this season, the Anteaters were blown out by George Mason. That didn't seem like the same team when it traveled to Stanford. UC-Irvine stunned Trent Johnson's Cardinal in Palo Alto, 79-63.

DIAPER DANDY OF THE WEEK: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

The heralded big man did not disappoint in his debut with the Tar Heels. It was not cupcake city as North Carolina edged a Gardner-Webb squad that is one of the favorites in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Hansbrough hit nine-of-12 shots from the field and finished with 21 points in the 83-80 Maalox Masher.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question for Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.