Scottie Wilbekin recorded 13 points and 10 assists on Saturday for the first double-double of his college career, but the junior point guard’s lockdown defense on Missouri guard Phil Pressey drew more attention.
Wilbekin limited Pressey, the Southeastern Conference Preseason Player of the Year, to two points on 1-of-7 shooting as the No. 8 Gators (14-2, 4-0 SEC) cruised to an 83-52 win against the No. 22 Tigers. Wilbekin and Florida’s big men took the 5-foot-11 Pressey out of his comfort zone, eliminating his pick-and-roll options and lanes to the basket.
With the 6-foot-2 Wilbekin breathing down his neck, Pressey committed a career-high 10 turnovers.
“Every time I’m playing against somebody who’s obviously a well-known, good player, it’s a personal challenge for me,” Wilbekin said. “But it’s also a challenge for the rest of the team, because we don’t just play one-on-one defense. … When I’m guarding guys on the pick and roll, [center Patric Young] and (forward) Will (Yeguete), they’re one of the best in the NCAA at hedging on screens and giving me help if I’m beat.”
Over the past month, Wilbekin has lived up to the “Basketball Honey Badger” label Young gave him earlier this season.
During UF’s 68-47 victory against Texas A&M on Thursday, Wilbekin held Elston Turner to four points on 1-of-10 shooting. In Turner’s previous outing against Kentucky, the Aggies guard scored 40 points on 14-of-19 shooting.
In games Wilbekin has played this season, the Gators have contained opposing starting guards to only 34.1 percent shooting.
“He’s made our defense a lot better, because he has really good feet and he can move his feet and keep people in front,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He’s a physical guard where he’s a hard guy to screen. If he does get screened, he’s got a great ability to get around off contact and get back on the ball.”
After completing his junior year of high school, Wilbekin enrolled at Florida and played his first two seasons at Florida as a backup to starting point guard Erving Walker, UF’s all-time assists leader.
Wilbekin began the 2012-13 season on a sour note, as Donovan suspended him for three games due to undisclosed reasons. But Wilbekin has rebounded since his rough start.
Wilbekin has started in nine of 14 contests, averaging 8.3 points, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He tallied 2.5 points, 1.6 assists and 0.8 steals per game in his first two seasons.
This year, his shooting percentage is at a career-best 44.9 percent.
“I think, a lot of times, some of the greatest growth and development outcomes through when you have setbacks or make mistakes,” Donovan said. “Because of that, I think it has made him a better player. It forced him to maybe look at life and his basketball career playing here at Florida, being here at Gainesville, maybe a little differently than he ever had before.”
Wilbekin’s teammates also notice his development — especially on the defensive end. His improvement has even generated national buzz.
“He’s probably the best point guard defender in the SEC,” said ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes, who called Saturday’s contest. “Your defense starts at that spot.”
Following Saturday’s game, Young, who played two seasons with Walker, called Wilbekin the best point guard he has ever played with. Senior forward Erik Murphy shared Young’s sentiments.
“It’s unbelievable,” Murphy said. “The guy just comes out and guards relentless. I don’t think I’ve ever played with a guy who can guard on the ball like that at any level — high school, AAU or college.”
Prather out: Casey Prather, who suffered a high left ankle sprain in a 74-52 win against LSU on Jan. 12, will miss Florida’s road matchups against Georgia on Wednesday and Mississippi State on Saturday.
The junior forward took off his walking boot and began rehab Sunday. Donovan said Monday that Prather would be reevaluated in about six days.
In 10 games this season, Prather has 6.8 points and 3.3 rebounds, both career bests.
Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin (5) contests a shot by Missouri guard Phil Pressey (1) during the Gators’ 83-52 win against the Tigers on Saturday in the O’Connell Center. UF held Pressey to 1-of-7 shooting with 10 turnovers in the victory.
