Werner's career comes full circle
Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 7:55 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 7:55 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- He wasn't really paying attention. In the Florida basketball film room, Dan Werner knew what was at stake and that he and his teammates had no control over it. Their fate had been decided and would be revealed slowly and with many commercials.
As he watched the Selection Show on CBS, Werner saw Brigham Young come up as a No. 7 seed.
"I was thinking we'd be a 12 seed if we got in," he said. "No way we'd be a 10 seed. I wasn't even looking for us on that line."
And then it popped up.
Florida.
"The room went wild. Guys were screaming and hugging and crying," Werner said.
Nobody was happier than Werner. His career at UF would now have lovely bookends also known as NCAA appearances. Werner was a freshman on the 2007 national champs. He played 16 minutes of mostly mop-up action (including seven of those minutes in the 112-69 rout of Jackson State).
He scored two points.
He had five rebounds.
"It really feels like a long time ago," he said.
Especially with all that has happened since.
His coach left. His coach came back.
The Gators were relegated to two straight NITs.
He lost his starting job and his confidence in his senior year.
"It has been a growing experience," Werner said.
He had to be wondering on Sunday.
"Am I going to finish my career without playing meaningful minutes in the NCAA Tournament."
But he is here, in the OKC, knowing that his career could end any night. But at least it will end in the land of blue curtains, the staple of all NCAA Tournaments.
"Everyone wants to be at the NCAAs," he said. "The NIT isn't good enough for anyone. It would have been a big disappointment to be left out again."
Not this year. Instead, it's Dan Werner's personal circle of life, basketball-wise.
"I'm sure it's gotta feel good," said teammate Chandler Parsons. "He's our senior leader and he's been a great resource all year. I'm sure he'll be a good resource in the tournament."
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