After draining a three to tie the game at 49 midway through the second half, Florida freshman Brad Beal came up with a steal in transition and immediately placed a perfect pass ahead to forward Will Yeguete for a fast-break slam.
The dunk put the Gators ahead for the first time since relinquishing a halftime lead shortly into the second period, and it exemplified the defensive effort that helped No. 11 Florida (19-4, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) defeat Vanderbilt (16-7, 5-3 SEC) 73-65 at home Saturday.
The Gators forced 17 Commodores giveaways with their full-court pressure, leading to 19 points.
"I thought we were teetering to start the second half; it went back and forth for the first couple possessions and then they jumped out to a three-point lead," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "I just tried to encourage those guys to keep battling and fighting. I thought we did that, and the thing that helped with that was trying to rotate guys in and out."
Florida had to get creative with lineups in the first half after center Patric Young, who returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 10, and forward Erik Murphy both picked up two quick fouls. Donovan joked that he had to draw up plays for 6-foot-2 guard Scottie Wilbekin at the power-forward spot.
Donovan said he contemplated switching to a little-used zone defense, but instead Florida relied on the press. Despite depth issues, Florida was able to pressure Vanderbilt into making mistakes early and often.
"That's the reason we won the game," Beal said, "because we were able to force turnovers and we were able to try and get (Vandy guard John) Jenkins out of his rhythm. They were playing fast; it took a lot of their offense away."
Jenkins, the SEC's leading scorer, was held scoreless for the game's first 13 minutes, and said the press made the Commodores stop and think, leading to mistakes. Florida guard Kenny Boynton, second in the SEC in scoring, led the Gators with 18 points and drew praise for his defense on Jenkins, who finished with 15 points on 6 of 13 from the field.
"We tried to come in here to get a good start, but the press hurt us," Jenkins said. "That was the main difference in the game."
Florida's defensive success was dependent on Yeguete. The 6-foot-7 Frenchman played 16 minutes in the first half due to Young being in foul trouble, and he grabbed eight rebounds, a block and a steal all before the break.
"He was great," Donovan said. "He was really, really good. The press was disruptive, the steals, deflections. ... He was a difference-maker in the press for us."
Yeguete had been starting the previous five games while Young came off the bench with a sore ankle. Yeguete said that experience helped him be ready to play extensive minutes on Saturday even though he began the game on the bench.
After giving up the lead in the second, and with the team running on fumes after playing three games in a week's time, guard Erving Walker said it was Yeguete who made a seventh straight win possible.
"Will just played like Will," Walker said. "He was the one who turned it around for us."
Florida forward Will Yeguete led the defensive charge with eight rebounds, a block and three steals in the Gators' 73-65 win against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
