For Florida, the memory of last season’s road loss to Georgia is still fresh.
During the 76-62 upset on Feb. 25, defensive errors and a lack of intensity doomed the Gators. Bulldogs guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope notched 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting as UGA shot 52.9 percent from the field.
The loss was Florida’s third-largest margin of defeat last year.
Senior guard Kenny Boynton said the UF coaching staff often reminds him of the loss.
“They got us last time,” Boynton said. “But it’s a new year.”
No. 11 Florida (10-2) begins its 18-game Southeastern Conference slate with a matchup against Georgia (6-7) tonight at 7 in the O’Connell Center.
The Gators will be tasked with shutting down Caldwell-Pope, who has emerged as the Bulldogs’ go-to scoring option this season. The 6-foot-5 sophomore leads the team in points (17.5), rebounds (7.2) and steals (2.3) per game.
“He’s really a talented guy,” UF coach Billy Donovan said. “The one thing that is really impressive about him is he has great size. He’s got great length. He can really score.”
Donovan said Caldwell-Pope fell under the radar last season because SEC freshmen such as Florida’s Brad Beal and Kentucky’s Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist dominated the spotlight.
“(Georgia coach) Mark (Fox) does a great job of putting him in situations and taking advantage of his talent and his skill set,” Donovan said. “He clearly has emerged as one of the better players in our league.”
Caldwell-Pope is the epicenter of Georgia’s offense. According to KenPom.com, UGA uses him on 27.2 percent of its possessions and scores 28.8 percent of the Bulldogs’ points. The sophomore guard averages 33.5 minutes per game – 9.7 more than the next Georgia player.
Although more than half of Caldwell-Pope’s field goal attempts have come from behind the arc this season, he has made 51.8 percent of his two-point field goal attempts.
Boynton said he and junior point guard Scottie Wilbekin will alternate defending Caldwell-Pope.
“Me and Scottie will try to pressure him a little bit and play help defense,” Boynton said. “That’s the main thing we have to do: make him take the tough twos.”
Offensive balance has been a problem for the Bulldogs this season. Caldwell-Pope is the only Georgia player to average double-digit points.
The Bulldogs are riding a four-game winning streak, but five of their seven losses have come against unranked teams.
“They were losing to teams. I don’t know how,” Boynton said. “Honestly, before this season, I thought they’d be good. So, I respect Georgia.”
UF will not be at full strength in its revenge effort.
Senior power forward Erik Murphy (fractured rib) is doubtful for tonight’s contest, Donovan said Monday. Junior forward Will Yeguete is the most likely candidate to occupy Murphy’s spot in the starting lineup.
Yeguete missed last season’s meeting against the Bulldogs in Athens, Ga., with a fractured left foot, but the loss still resonates with him.
“Georgia gave us a hard time last year at their place,” Yeguete said. “I wish I could have been there, but we have to use that as motivation and play well against them.”
Kenny Boynton (1) plays defense against Georgetown on Nov. 9 aboard the USS Bataan in Jacksonville. Boynton and Scottie Wilbekin will go head-to-head with Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope tonight at 7 at the O’Connell Center.
