ARLINGTON, Texas— When Kenny Boynton and Erik Murphy started their careers, the Gators were coming off back-to-back appearances in the NIT.
Remembering the seniors for losing three straight Elite Eight games as a statistical favorite is natural. The Gators, like any other team, are judged on what they do in the NCAA Tournament. That’s how the system works, and none of them would argue with that.
Still, ignoring all they accomplished would be wrong. The losses end the season and stick out more than anything, but simply advancing to the Elite Eight three seasons in a row is commendable. So is scoring 2,033 career points, as Boynton did. Or ranking as one of the 20 most efficient offensive players in the nation, as Murphy did in 2012-13.
Florida went 105-40 during their four seasons on campus. The program stayed at a level where NCAA Tournament appearances are expected rather than celebrated.
For a program that doesn’t have a ton of history — UF reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 1987 — this senior class was critical to preventing a backslide.
Since Billy Donovan took the job in 1996, Florida has never missed the NCAA Tournament three consecutive times. The contributions of Boynton and, to a lesser extent, Murphy, kept it that way as the Gators snuck into the field as a No. 10 seed in 2010.
A program coming off back-to-back national championships would never fall off the map, and Donovan would never fail to recruit. But a streak of four or five NIT appearances wouldn’t have helped Florida’s attempt to permanently establish itself as a national power.
Boynton is Florida’s all-time leader in missed threes, and he certainly didn’t come up “clutch” during a small sample of late-game moments. But he’s also UF’s all-time leader in makes and a player that was among Florida’s leading scorers for four consecutive seasons. His career three-point shooting percentage of 34 is right at the national average. He defended well and never turned the ball over.
Murphy played the worst game of his life on Sunday, but he made Florida’s offense go all season. He ranked seventh nationally in effective field-goal percentage and was a deadly sharpshooter from outside. After coming off the bench for two seasons and being arrested for third-degree felony burglary after his sophomore year, Murphy started and was a consistent scoring threat for two seasons. His three-point shooting completely changed UF’s offense. He’s played through a flu and broken ribs, delivering some of his best games under the most averse circumstances.
Even Mike Rosario, most famous for his mental lapses that led to some outstanding Billy Donovan sound bites, made incredible strides. His focus and consistency have improved dramatically, to the point where Donovan would actually play him and trust him in key moments.
After Sunday’s loss, Rosario reflected fondly on his career, recalling the strides he’s made and the things he’s accomplished after transferring from Rutgers.
Boynton also seemed to be his normal self in the locker room, although he said he was simply hiding the pain.
Murphy was the most visibly affected, unable to raise his eyes from the carpet or raise his voice above a whisper as he fought back tears.
In reality, all three should have their heads held high. Maybe they never reached a Final Four, but 105 wins, three consecutive Elite Eights and a four-year stretch that keeps the program on the track to prominence is nothing to be ashamed of.
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
Senior guard Kenny Boynton attempts a shot against Michigan guard Tim Hardaway Jr. during Florida’s 79-59 loss on Sunday in Cowboys Stadium. Boynton missed the cut for the Los Angeles Lakers' summer league roster, which was released Thursday.
