STARKVILLE, MISS.— In the closing moments of Saturday’s game, the
free-throw line was the Bulldogs’ strongest weapon and the Gators’
biggest weakness.
Although Florida (16-5, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) has struggled
from the charity stripe all season, every contest to this point
pales in comparison to Saturday’s 9-of-19 performance that resulted
in a 71-64 loss against Mississippi State (11-9, 3-3 SEC) in
Starkville.
The Gators hit just one of their final six free-throw attempts,
allowing the Bulldogs to score the game’s last seven points—all
from the stripe.
“We shot ourselves in the foot at the free-throw line,” senior
forward Chandler Parsons said. “If we just make some shots it would
change the whole complexion of the game.”
Donovan said he was most disappointed in his senior frontcourt of
Parsons, Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin, who combined to hit just 2
of 10 free throws in the game.
Normally experienced players are the ones coaches want at the line
in a game’s closing moments, but not for UF.
“I wish we had an answer for that,” Parsons said. “It’s just
something we each individually and collectively as a team have to
do a better job of.”
Donovan said he felt the Gators had control of the game when they
took a three-point lead with 12:19 remaining.
But UF scored just nine points the rest of the way, missing its
final eight field goal attempts on top of it’s free-throw
woes.
“We had a lot of missed opportunities to put points on the board,”
Donovan said. “The free-throw line hurt us.”
MSU junior guard Dee Bost outscored the Gators by himself down the
stretch, recording 12 points in the game’s last 12 minutes on his
way to a game-high 24.
Bost’s ability to carry the Bulldogs was invaluable, as only four
players on the MSU roster scored in the game.
“He made a lot of great plays, that’s what great players do,” said
junior guard Erving Walker, who led UF with 18 points. “He stepped
up for his team.”
Mississippi State jumped out to an early 25-15 lead thanks to
senior forward Kodi Augustus, who scored 11 points on 3-of-3
three-point-shooting in just over eight minutes.
The Gators responded by pounding the ball inside, scoring 26
first-half points in the paint to enter halftime down by just
two.
“We were definitely confident,” Walker said. “They weren’t really
scoring in the paint that much. We knew that they wouldn’t keep
shooting at that same percentage the whole game from three.”
Mississippi State eventually cooled off from beyond the arc,
shooting just 3 for 15 from outside after a 5 for 8 start.
The Gators got back into the game with interior scoring and 24
second-chance points, but could never overcome their 5-for-21
outside shooting.
