EIGHT MEN OUT FLORIDA USES POWER OF THE PRESS TO WEAR OUT NO. 8 NORTH CAROLINA FLORIDA 71, N. CAROLINA 59.

Byline: Jon Wilner Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA Tournament hasn't seen anything like this since Rick Pitino directed Kentucky's horde of talent - and swarming ``mother-in-law defense'' - into the national title game in 1996 and '97.

Florida coach Billy Donovan played for Pitino (at Providence) and coached under Pitino (at Kentucky), and he has designed the Florida program with the Pitino model in mind.

The Gators have the deepest roster - and most relentless style - in the nation. They wore down Duke last week in the Sweet 16 and they wore down North Carolina on Saturday in the national semifinals. As a result of their 71-59 victory, before 43,116 in the RCA Dome, the Gators will play Michigan State on Monday night for their first national title.

Florida is also the first No. 5 seed to play in the championship game.

``I think they just wore us out,'' Tar Heels coach Bill Guthridge said. ``I hoped that their playing 10 players would not be a factor, but I think it was.''

The Gators have one of the nation's top talents in sophomore forward Mike Miller, but otherwise they are a collection of very good - not great - players. But there are so many of them, and they play so fast, and so hard, that they simply overwhelm opponents.

Saturday night was a perfect example. Florida charged to an 18-3 lead, then watched the eighth-seeded Tar Heels respond with a 45-24 surge during the middle third of the game. The Gators maintained their harrowing pace - pressing full court, pushing the fast break, shooting from all distances and angles. Like Duke, North Carolina does not have a deep bench, and like Duke, the Tar Heels eventually wilted.

Florida closed the game with a 29-11 surge.

``Coach has always told us, with our style of play, that if we get down six, eight points, never give up and keep playing and playing and playing,'' Gators guard Brett Nelson said. ``The way we play, our press and stuff . . . we're right back in the game.''

Fatigue wasn't North Carolina's only undoing.

The Tar Heels held a 50-46 lead with 13 minutes left when point guard Ed Cota, the key to counteracting Florida's pressure defense, committed his fourth foul. He stayed on the court , but North Carolina was never the same.

Over the next six minutes, Florida outscored the Tar Heels 16-4.

``It definitely changed the momentum,'' Cota said. ``My teammates were not comfortable with me playing with four fouls. My approach to the game was definitely different. I was not as aggressive. Florida did a good job keeping the pressure on.''

The second half was taut and furious. Once North Carolina broke the first wave of pressure defense, it attacked the basket instead of backing off. Of course, Florida plays at one speed (warp) under all circumstances, so there was no letup from either team.

The Tar Heels had plenty of energy early in the half and bolted to a six-point lead on Joseph Forte's 3-pointer with 16 minutes remaining. But Cota committed his fourth foul three minutes later, and that sapped the life from North Carolina. Its aggression dissipated and its half-court offense faltered. The Tar Heels went more than three minutes without scoring.

Meanwhile, the Gators kept coming with fresh bodies and renewed confidence. Nelson hit a jumper, then found Udonis Haslem for a layup. A few seconds later, Major Parker drained a 3-pointer to give Florida a 53-50 lead.

Forte answered for North Carolina, but it was a brief respite from the Florida fury. Nelson responded with a 3-pointer of his own, and a North Carolina turnover - Cota was dog tired at this point - became Teddy Dupay's floating jumper for a 62-54 advantage.

``I thought our guys kept their composure,'' Donovan said. ``Nelson's play certainly opened it up. They were in some foul trouble. But I think that we got the game in transition. With Nelson scoring, that enabled us to get our press on. We could chase and trap and get disruptive. That's what opened the game up.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) Florida's Donnell Harvey takes the ball to the basket over North Carolina's Brendan Haywood.

Laura Rauch/Associated Press

(2) Gators forward Justin Hamilton, left, guards the Tar Heels' Joseph Forte in the second half.

Chuck Robinson/Associated Press