The Gators’ frontcourt frustrated forward Marshawn Powell and the Razorbacks all Saturday night.
As Powell received the ball on the left wing with 10:45 remaining in the first half, he drove down the baseline only to find junior forward Casey Prather standing outside the restricted area.
Powell committed his second foul of the night on the play. Both came on charges drawn by Prather.
While Prather yelled in excitement after the second charge, Powell shook his head at a referee and walked to the Razorbacks bench, where he stayed for the remainder of the first half.
"It was huge, because it got Powell in foul trouble," point guard Scottie Wilbekin said. "Obviously, without [Powell], they’re not as good of a team."
Prather’s play was representative of how dominant Florida was in the paint offensively and defensively against Arkansas in its 71-54 win in the O’Connell Center.
The Gators outscored the Razorbacks in the paint 42-18. On two-point attempts, UF shot 53.8 percent.
In Florida’s first meeting with Arkansas — an 80-69 loss in Fayetteville, Ark., on Feb. 5 — the Razorbacks went 51.3 percent on shots inside the arc.
"We respected them more," center Patric Young said.
"Last time, we didn’t respect them when we went to their place.
"We were probably a little complacent."
Young led UF’s inside effort with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Coach Billy Donovan said Young did a better job demanding the ball.
"My daughter could have thrown the ball inside to him," Donovan said.
"He was open. He made himself available. He wanted it. He had a presence."
Prather grabbed a career-best nine rebounds to go along with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting. Forward Erik Murphy added 12 points and made 3 of his 4 two-point field goal attempts.
Florida attacked the rim more frequently Saturday than during its 63-60 loss against Missouri on Tuesday.
The Gators attempted 61.1 percent of their shots from behind the arc and lacked a post presence against the Tigers but took 37.1 percent from three-point range on Saturday.
"We had to get the ball in the paint," Murphy said.
"When we get the ball in the paint — whether it be on post-ups, drives — our offensive efficiency is better."
Wilbekin added: "Coach (Donovan) just drilled that point to us."
Powell scored seven of the Razorbacks’ first eight points, but the Gators held him scoreless for the remainder of the contest.
In the first 3 minutes of the second half, Powell picked up two more fouls but still remained in the game. Young drew both fouls in the post.
Aside from Coty Clarke, who scored 18 points on 8-of-8 shooting, Arkansas look rattled in the paint after Powell’s first-half departure.
Less than 2 minutes after Powell checked out of the game, Young swatted a jump shot from forward Jacorey Williams. About a minute later, Prather rejected guard Michael Qualls’ layup out of bounds.
With guard Michael Frazier II out until Saturday’s game against Alabama after suffering a concussion midway through the second half against Arkansas, Florida will need to find balance on offense like it did on Saturday.
Donovan named freshmen DeVon Walker, Braxton Ogbueze and Dillon Graham as potential replacements for Frazier in Florida’s rotation against Tennessee on Tuesday.
"When we rely on threes, it goes good and bad," Boynton said.
"(During) the Missouri game, we started out good in the three, but we relied on the three, and it hurt us in the end of the game. So we definitely have to get a presence at the basket."
Patric Young (4) attempts an alley-oop dunk during Florida’s 71-54 win against Arkansas on Saturday in the O’Connell Center.
