During and after Michigan's double overtime lost to Florida and Charlotte, one phrase kept ringing out, do your work early.

It applies to several aspects and ramifications of Tuesday's result.

Florida came in as the nation's fourth best offensive rebounding team, so the Gators were always going to have some success on the offensive glass.

However, two of the numbers that

seem to be bolded and italicized on the box, where even though they aren't, offensive rebounds,

21, and points in the paint, 60. Michigan rebounders just didn't do their work early enough

to win a game that from about midway through the second

half on felt like one where the winner would feel more relief than happiness and the loser

would certainly go into the holiday break with a whole lot of frustration and wonder about what

could have been do your work early doesn't just fit for the work on the glass in this one.

It was something that Phil Martelli talked to me about before the game against Iowa,

a couple of weeks back on the pregame show.

One way that a team can close a game at the end is to do their work early and better in the first 35,

38, 39 minutes of the game to make maybe the closing ability easier or just

the moot point you run out the clock. Michigan did that in Iowa City that afternoon. They did it

the next time out as expected against Eastern Michigan at Chrysler Center on Saturday. And there

certainly were chances for Michigan. In this one, the Wolverines led by as many as nine in the second half.

It will be early on in half number two.

But they faced a team that had endured similar woes.

Entering this one, the Gators had not won a game under second year head coach Todd Golden

when trailing at the five-minute mark of the second half.

At that juncture in this one, Michigan led by three.

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