The UF men?s basketball team made things interesting Friday night, but managed to keep its name off the growing list of college sport?s upset victims.
Just two days after Southeastern Conference rival Kentucky fell to Gardner-Webb at home, the Gators were able to hold off pesky North Dakota State 75-65 in the team?s opening game.
The close matchup came as no surprise to UF coach Billy Donovan, who said before the game that the Gators would be tested by the Bison. A team that has played the role of giant killer in the past.
NDSU has road wins over then-No. 15 Wisconsin and then-No. 8 Marquette in the last two seasons.
BI said that if we found a way to win this game it would be a tremendous win for our team,C Donovan said. BThey?re a really good basketball team. Even when we got up 15, 16, I never felt comfortable.C
After shooting 54 percent and jumping out to a dominating 39-25 lead at halftime, the Gators began to go cold in the early moments of the second half, when the Bison began to creep back.
They cut the lead to single digits with 15 minutes left to play at 47-38, and were within six with less than a minute remaining.
BYou knew that they we?re going to make a run,C he said. BWe were a little shell shocked at first when they jumped on us right away. … In the end I?m proud of the way our guys played and bounced back from all the challenges.C
With the game hanging in the balance, the young Gators team relied on one of their veterans for support.
Junior Walter Hodge scored 6 of the team?s final 8 points.
BI thought he tried to take on a leadership role with our guys today, and I really encouraged this,C Donovan said. BThese guys don?t know where to turn to, they look to me, but I?m not on the court. On the floor Walter did a real good job tonight.C
In a fitting beginning to a new era for the freshmen-laden Gators, guard Nick Calathes led all scorers with 21 points on 8-15 shooting from the field. Calathes said the team had some extra motivation heading in.
BThey came in here thinking they we?re going to beat us, at least that?s what the media was saying,C Calathes said. BThe radios said they we?re going to come in here and take us down because we?re a young team, but that?s our home court, and we?re going to defend it at all costs.C
