Florida Suffocates North Florida in Home Opener
No. 3 Florida made a statement in a 104-64 win Thursday against North Florida at the O’Connell Center after starting its season in the losing column against No. 13 Arizona.
Alex Condon returned to All-America form after a rough first outing against Koa Peat on Monday’s 93-87 loss in Las Vegas. The junior forward lead all scorers with 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, returning to the physical stretch forward that earned him preseason recognition. He imposed his will on the perimeter and down low, backing down UNF defenders while drawing double teams to free up a spot on the floor.
Florida (1-1), which unveiled its third national championship banner in the rafters of the O’Dome pregame, returned to its identity that won it a NCAA title: offensive rebounds and transition. The Gators won the rebound battle 64-24, with 29 offensive rebounds leading to 40 second-chance points. The height of the reigning champs was on full display with 66 of its 104 points in the paint. Florida pushed in transition off of makes and misses, rarely allowing UNF (0-1) to set a defense.
Thomas Haugh followed a career-high 27 points with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Florida’s best possessions in its two games come off ball screens where Haugh can get downhill. Haugh and Condon moved their feet defensively against much smaller UNF guards, a welcome sight that Florida can still play big against shorter, athletic teams. The Florida defense was nothing short of suffocating, with a 27-3 run in the first half where UNF went 1-for-14 from the field.
Boogie Fland has kick-started the offense efficiently in his two games in orange and blue. Whether its a pick-and-roll with Condon or finding the open man in transition, Fland has earned control of the offense. He finished with 10 points, 3 assists and a +26 plus/minus.
Micah Handlogten had his second straight double double with 17 points and 13 rebounds, providing a breath of fresh air with Rueben Chinyelu struggling. The senior center was +31 in 18 minutes of play.
Shooting Woes Continue
Florida still showed lingering issues from Arizona. The Gators are still struggling to put the ball through the net, especially from 3-point range. They couldn’t buy a shot from beyond the arc shooting 6-for-32 (19%) from distance Thursday night. In its first two games, Florida has shot 13-for-59 from 3 and 38-for-58 from the free throw line. Key points left on the table.
Against a less talented opponent like UNF, the Gators can get away with a poor-shooting percentage by leveraging its long athleticism on the boards and transition. Against a more formidable opponent like Duke and UConn, Florida could get burned if it continues to shoot this poorly.
Thin Backcourt
Xaivian Lee had another game with significant shots taken and not many points to show for it. He followed a 3-for-11 from range against Arizona with a 2-for-8 performance Thursday night. When the frontcourt can’t dominate like it did against a smaller UNF, Lee will have to shoot better.
Alex Lloyd made his collegiate debut, going 1-for-5 from 3 with 4 points in 15 minutes of play. Urban Klavzar (0-for-5 from the field) was scoreless. Florida is going to need one of these two to step up if it wants to repeat. The Ospreys attacked both offensively, using pick and rolls to switch the undersized guards onto a forward. As defensive liabilities, Klavzar and Lloyd are going to need to provide a larger spark offensively to provide meaningful minutes.
Of note in the rout, 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux made his debut for the Gators in the final minutes to become the tallest player to see action in a college game.
Up Next
Florida will face rival Florida State (1-0), which hosts Alabama State on Friday, on Tuesday night in the O’Connell Center.
Category: Feature Sports News, Gators Men's Basketball
