Saturday night's contest between Florida and Arkansas was physical, chippy and sloppy in every sense.
Coach Billy Donovan wants his players to take open shots, regardless of whether their attempts are inside or beyond the arc.
Midway through the first half, center Patric Young set a screen on Missouri’s Earnest Ross for freshman Michael Frazier II.
Down by three with 3.1 seconds left, Florida had an opportunity to tie Missouri and send the game into overtime. But guard Mike Rosario’s desperation heave from the left corner couldn’t find the net.
The last time Florida played Missouri, the game got ugly. UF cruised to an 83-52 blowout on Jan. 19.
Before Saturday’s game, Kenny Boynton remembered what happened at Auburn Arena two seasons ago.
Before Tuesday, Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel was dominant in the paint.
During the past four years, Florida was 1-7 against Kentucky. But Tuesday night in the O’Connell Center was a different story for the Gators.
Since becoming Kentucky’s coach in 2009, John Calipari has dominated Florida.
Florida expected a shorthanded frontcourt in Saturday’s game against Mississippi State. On Friday, junior forward Will Yeguete underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in his right knee, which will sideline him for 4-6 weeks.
With junior forward Will Yeguete out for at least the remainder of the regular season after undergoing surgery on his right knee Friday, Florida needed its role players to step up against Mississippi State.
Will Yeguete’s night in Fayetteville, Ark., lasted less than a minute.
Florida has dominated Southeastern Conference opponents this season, but it finally experienced the other end of the beating against Arkansas.
During Florida’s 78-64 win against Ole Miss on Saturday, senior guard Kenny Boynton and senior forward Erik Murphy fed off each other’s strengths.
Late in the first half, Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson grabbed a pass from forward Jarvis Summers.
With Florida leading Ole Miss 50-37 at the beginning of the second half, senior Erik Murphy grabbed a defensive rebound and took off down the court. Kenny Boynton missed his jumper, Scottie Wilbekin missed from behind the arc, but Murphy’s three found nothing but net.
Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson has earned a reputation for more than his scoring.
Florida has smothered its Southeastern Conference opponents this season, but delivered its biggest trouncing against South Carolina.
Even as the Gators led the Bulldogs by 21 points early in Saturday’s game, they weren’t letting up on defense.
Using a combination of dominant defense, rebounding and hot shooting, Florida ran Mississippi State out of Humphrey Coliseum on Saturday night.
Solutions by The State News
