Despite an inauspicious two-week stretch that saw Florida go just 2-2 and draw the ire of coach Billy Donovan, the Gators took a commanding step closer to their ultimate goal on Wednesday night.
With a 66-40 smothering of Vanderbilt, No. 11 Florida (24-5, 14-3 SEC) finished the regular season with a sterling 15-0 record in the O’Connell Center, its fourth undefeated season at home in program history.
More importantly, with a matchup against Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Saturday looming, the Gators clinched their fourth outright Southeastern Conference championship and sixth overall.
“One of the things that happens because of unbalanced schedules, conference expansion and the attention on March Madness and Selection Sunday, is a lot of people don’t view conference championships as a great accomplishment,” Donovan said.
“The people that go through a 9-week schedule … it is an incredible accomplishment for our team considering the things that we have overcome.”
Of clinching an SEC title in his final home game, senior guard Kenny Boynton said: “We set a goal from day one. We tried to make a change, and I think we’ve done a good job making a change.”
Boynton, the program’s second all-time leading scorer, led the Gators with 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Thirteen of Boynton’s points came in the second half as UF increased its lead with a defining 19-3 run after Vanderbilt had cut its deficit to single digits.
Fellow senior Erik Murphy added 10 points while Mike Rosario chipped in 5 points and three assists.
“To be able to do that on out home court for Kenny Boynton, Erik Murphy and Mike Rosario,” Donovan said, “a lot of times on senior night it doesn’t quite end like that.”
While the Gators' offense continues to be refined with the return of Will Yeguete and Michael Frazier II from injury, its defense gave the Commodores headaches throughout the night.
Florida hounded Vanderbilt (13-16, 7-10 SEC) in the first half. The Commodores shot just 22.7 percent from the floor — including making only 3 of their first 16 shots — and turned the ball over six times.
The Gators led 24-14 at halftime. Vanderbilt’s 14 points represented the third-fewest total UF had held an opponent to this season and the Commodores’ lowest scoring output since scoring 11 points against Arkansas on Jan. 12.
Vanderbilt improved only modestly in the second half and finished the game shooting 26.9 percent.
“We got better as the game went on,” Murphy said. “Our defense really got it done for us tonight.”
Vanderbilt cut Florida’s lead to 37-29 with 12:19 remaining in the second half following two free throws by forward Sheldon Jeter.
But the freshman made a critical mistake just moments later. With the Commodores trailing 45-32, Jeter drove through the lane and made a layup but was called for a charge as Rosario slid underneath him. Jeter compounded the disputed call by earning a technical foul for petitioning the referees.
Boynton then made two free throws to help fuel the Gators’ 19-3 run during a 4:34 stretch. Vanderbilt never responded.
“They started making a few shots, and we didn’t guard the ball,” Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said. “Once you start letting them takes shots from the perimeter, you’re done, and we did a pretty good job up until that points.
"We probably, at some point, just got frustrated with our own inability to make a shot.”
Sophomore guard Kedren Johnson led Vanderbilt with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. But after scoring 15 of the Commodores’ initial 19 points, Johnson was held scoreless for the final 16:24 of the game.
Patric Young powered the Gators in the first half, scoring 10 of his 14 points prior to halftime. The 6-foot-9 junior was active on both ends of the floor and finished with three blocks and four rebounds.
"We accomplished one goal," Young said. "I couldn't think of a better ending. ... I'm just thankful to be a part of it."
Following the victory, Donovan allowed his team to cut down the nets, an unofficial ceremony celebrating the accomplishment of the season.
Florida last won the SEC outright in 2011 but was at Vanderbilt when it clinched the conference crown and did not cut down the nets.
“[Donovan] came up to us and said: ‘Do you guys want to (cut the nets down)?’ Of course we want to,” Murphy said. “That was something special in itself. I haven’t done that yet in my college career. It was a great feeling.”
Boynton, who was the final Gator to climb the ladder and cut a piece of the net, said Wednesday was just one step toward a larger goal.
“The crowd was loud, and it definitely felt good,” Boynton said of cutting down the nets. “I definitely want that feeling again. In order to get that feeling, we’ve got to keep winning.”
Contact Phillip Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org.
Senior guard Kenny Boynton walks back to play defense after scoring during Florida’s 69-52 victory against Kentucky on Feb. 12 in the O’Connell Center.
