UF men’s basketball win fourth straight with a 86-60 win in Jacksonville

The Florida Gator men’s basketball team wins its fourth straight game with an 86-60 win at Jacksonville Monday night.

Just a few days ago we learned that senior guard Scottie Wilbekin had been officially reinstated to the Gator team.  However it was unclear how much we would see him play. Gators head coach Billy Donovan made it clear early as Wilbekin was named the starting point guard against the Dolphins. Donovan believed the only way to get his senior acclimated to the game was giving him the full starter’s minutes.

It was clear early on for the Gators that unlike the Middle Tennessee game the offense could look a lot more organized and efficient. On Monday night the Gators ran up and down the court seemingly unstoppable against an overmatched Dolphins team. With Wilbekin taking the ball up the court, plays became simpler; everyone had their jobs and did them accordingly.

One statistic that changed drastically with the senior point guard in the game was assists. On Thursday the Gators managed just two assists in the first half against Middle Tennessee and 10 overall. On Monday, the Gators had that number beat in the first half, finishing with 19 assists and that’s with many missed opportunities.

In his debut of the 2013 season, Wilbekin played 34 minutes, totaling 12 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Most importantly, Wilbekin turned the ball over just two times and Donovan talked about his senior’s performance on the night.

“I’m really proud of him; he’s played extremely well in practice. He is able to get us in and out of offenses quite a bit and a lot of that comes with his experience, and the games he has under his belt.”

Overall, this was a game in which the offense really seemed to pull everything together, and make many strides towards the future as the season progresses. The Gators finished with five players in double digits, with senior guard Casey Prather leading all scorers with 27. With Wilbekin back in the lineup, Prather never had to worry about creating every opportunity. The Gators showcased an offense that rushed up and down the court in transition and this really suited Prather’s game giving him multiple chances to cut to the basket. After the game, Prather talked about himself and Wilbekin being on the same page.

“With me cutting to the basket, having a great point guard with good vision, he can always find me,” Prather said.

The biggest difference for Prather was his ability to stay on the court. Against Middle Tennessee Prather struggled with fouls, and on Monday the senior played 33 minutes with just one foul on the night.

Elsewhere, the Gators received a huge night from sophomore Michael Frazier II who seemingly could not miss finishing the night with 17 points and connecting on 5 of 6 from behind the arc. Redshirt sophomore Dorian Finney-Smith took on a couple different roles in the game. Early on, the sophomore found his way inside and took advantage of the smaller JU defenders. Finney-Smith was also a beast on the boards racking up a team high 11 on the night.

Overall, the Gators played arguably their best game all season. The Gators shot 60 percent from the field overall, compared to the Dolphins 37 percent, while also winning the battle on the boards, the points in the paint, and the bench points by a margin of 33 to 13. The Gators seemed to take control in all aspects of the game and the Dolphins were simply overmatched. The Gators flirted with a 20 point lead for a majority of the game and a win was never in doubt.

If there was one downfall in Monday’s game was the loss of point guard DeVon Walker. Not even a few minute into the game, Walker came up hobbling on his right ankle. Walker was quickly replaced and remained out for the rest of the game. For a team that just got one guard back, another lost player is not something the Gators had in mind.

Now with the Gators sitting at 5-1 and riding a four game winning streak, they move into a very difficult stretch on their schedule that begins on Friday night at home against the Florida State Seminoles. The Seminoles are also sitting at 5-1 and have already knocked off one ranked opponent this year with an 85-67 victory over then 10th ranked VCU. The Gators will no doubt be tested for the first time in the O’Dome all season and they will look to make an early season statement.

To hear more from head coach Billy Donovan and the players on Monday’s performance click on the following links below.

Donovan talks about Scottie Wilbekin

Donovan talks about the offenses success

Donovan talks about Casey Prather’s performance

Wilbekin talks about his suspension

Wilbekin talks about what he is most appreciative of

Prather talks about the team’s performance against JU

 

 

 

About Kyle Logan

Check Also

Orange & Blue Sports Network

Catch the student-led broadcasts from the College of Journalism and Communications right here.

LIVE THREAD: National Signing Day

Here’s an updated thread of all the recruits who picked the Gator hat today! RB …

AFC Divisional Round Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers

During last weekend’s NFL Wild Card round, the Steelers made a statement by handing the Dolphins a …

Houston Looking For an Upset in Foxborough

The saying has always been “it’s hard to beat a good team twice,” and in …

Blue Jackets vs. Lightning Tonight

The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning will be facing each other once …

Possible Additions to McElwain’s Recruiting Class Visiting this Weekend

With National Signing Day less than three weeks away, the Gators are hosting several talented …

Florida Gymnastics Prepares for Season Opener

GAINESVILLE, FL – The Florida Gator gymnastics team will kick off their season this Sunday …

Surprised Gators Promote Randy Shannon To Defensive Coordinator? You Shouldn’t Be

Florida’s head coach, Jim McElwain, announced Friday morning that Randy Shannon would be making the …

Quarterbacks in Spotlight for NFL Wild Card Weekend

The NFL Wild Card kicks off Saturday and the quarterback situations could not be any more different. On …

College Football Playoff Shakes Up Schedule

The College Football Playoff was a success in its first year. Yet, that doesn’t stop …

Michael Jordan Speaks out about Shootings, Police Officers

NBA great Michael Jordan opened up about his thoughts about shootings of African-Americans and the …

Treon Harris to Transfer

With the college football season approaching, the Florida Gators have announced that former starting QB …

USA Basketball Wins Second Exhibition Game

Just a few short days after their big win over Argentina, team USA won its …

Charlotte Is No Longer The Home Of The 2017 NBA All-Star Game

The House Bill 2 came between Charlotte, North Carolina and the 2017 All-Star Game. The …

Tampa Bay Rays Continue Series Against Oakland

The Tampa Bay Rays are continuing their three-game winning streak. The Rays defeated the Oakland …

MLB Preview Tonight

It’s summer time—the best time to go to a baseball game and experience the atmosphere. …

Braves Begin Series With Rockies

The Atlanta Braves (33-62) open up a four-game road series with the Rockies (43-51) tonight …

Marlins To Close Out Series With The Phillies

The Miami Marlins are in the middle of a crucial ten game span against NL East …

Rays Crush Rockies 11-3, Face A’s Next

In the midst of a terrible season that has seen the Tampa Bay Rays (37-57) …

American League Second Half Outlook

The second half of the baseball season is in full swing which translates to? Pennant races. Teams …

National League Evening Preview

Tonight is a busy night for the National League in the MLB. Starting with the …

Big 12 Looks To Expand

Following a Tuesday meeting between Big 12 presidents, Oklahoma president David Boren announced that the …

LSU Looks To Capitalize On Its Opportunity

The Louisiana State University Tigers will enter the 2016 college football season with high expectations, …

Muschamp Helps Close Out SEC Media Days 2016

It wasn’t Will Muschamps first SEC Media Days experience, but 2016 marked the first time …

Phil Mickelson Leads British Open After First Day

The 145th annual 2016 British Open is underway at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. The …

Missouri’s Football Crisis: Rebuilding A Program

On the final day of SEC Media Days, Barry Odom took the stand as Missouri’s head …

Second Half Of MLB Season Begins

The All-Star Break is a good time for teams to rest up and reform themselves …

British Open Underway

The 145th Open Championship is already underway at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. Welcome …

Gators Accept Bid to Inaugural WBIT

The Florida Gators women’s basketball team has accepted a bid into the inaugural Women’s Basketball …