Gator men’s hoops look for improvement in season opener against William & Mary

The seventh ranked Florida men’s basketball team will look to get off on the right foot Friday night as it welcomes the Tribe of William & Mary.

The Gators struggled in their exhibition against Barry University just one week ago shooting just 41 percent from the field, 37 percent in the second half alone. It’s clear the Gators have very little presence inside, and that was evident against the Buccaneers with sophomore Chris Walker and redshirt junior Alex Murphy unable to play.

The Gators were outscored inside the paint 22-18 and outrebounded by three on the night. Transfer Jon Horford got the start at center and shot 2 for-6 from the field but primarily took shots from the outside.

Redshirt junior Dorian Finney-Smith got the start at power forward, and despite claiming 10 rebounds and 16 points, the former transfer shot 3 of-5 from beyond the arc, scoring 12 of his 16 from three or the free throw line.

The only other player that saw any time inside was senior Jacob Kurtz, a former walk-on. Kurtz scored six in 17 minutes of play.

Overall, the Gators don’t have a player they can throw the ball too inside, and coach Billy Donovan has acknowledged they will struggle there as the season progresses.

The lack of an inside presence forced them to shoot a flurry of threes, and Friday night might tell the same tale. The Gators hoisted a whopping 37 three-point shots against Barry connecting on just 32 percent.

Redshirt junior Eli Carter led the team in scoring despite playing his first game since November 29. Carter shot over 50 percent from the field, and it’s evident he could be an integral part of the team’s success this year.

Another fresh face inside the O’Connell Center the Gators will be expecting big things from this year is freshman Devin Robinson. Robinson was less than spectacular in the exhibition shooting 2 of 10 from the field, but Donovan says there will be growing pains.

“He is a great kid that I really like coaching. He’s a freshman and there’s going to be learning experiences,” Donovan said.

On the other end of the court, it was the defense that really had a rough night giving up 70 points on 62 total shots. The Buccaneers outscored the Gators in second chance opportunities, points off turnovers, and allowed 26 shots from beyond the arc. Donovan was not happy after the team’s first game action, and defense was a huge area of emphasis for the team going into Friday’s game.

The Tribe enter looking to build on its season of a year ago in which it finished 20-12 overall, 10-6 in conference play. Senior Marcus Thornton led the team in scoring a year ago, averaging about 18 points a game, and Donovan says containing him will be essential to the team’s success.

“He’s really really good; he’s as good as any guard we’ll play. He’s can really score the ball, he’s got size, he’s got deep range, he can score in pick and roll and he can play in transition. He’s a special player.”

The Tribe averaged 73 points a year ago, and Donovan spoke very highly of the team the Gators will see on Friday night.

“They’re really good in terms of passing, cutting, moving. They utilize the three point line very well; they get you on back cuts for layups. They’re a team that stays true to their system, their style of play and what they’re doing.”

Friday’s match up will be important as the Gators look to begin the year on a high note, and the team will be looking to shine after underperforming just one week ago.

Tipoff between the Gators and the Tribe is set for 6pm.

To the hear audio of the quotes above, click on the links below:

Donovan talks about Devin Robinson

Donovan talks about Marcus Thornton

Donovan talks about William & Mary

Donovan looks back at last year compared to this year