Florida’s Height Too Much For Merrimack in 80-45 Win
No. 10 Florida proved just how dominant its front court can be in an 80-45 demolition of Merrimack at the O’Connell Center on Friday.
The game felt out of reach for Merrimack (2-4) since the tip. Florida (4-1) started the game on a 30-4 run, including a 21-0 burst in the middle of the first half. It was the Gators’ third run of 20-0 or more under Todd Golden.
In the absence of Micah Handlogten (concussion), Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh all stepped up with stellar performances. With Merrimack’s tallest starter Todd Brogna standing at 6-foot-7, the Warriors had an impossible task halting one of the tallest starting fives in the nation. The front court trio finished a combined 18-for-32 from the field, posting 47 of Florida’s 80 points.
Chinyelu posted his third straight double double with 14 points and 21 rebounds. Merrimack had 25 total rebounds. The Nigerian center has averaged 13 points and 16 rebounds per game in his last three contests.
In typical Florida fashion, it was all over the offensive and defensive glass. It won the rebound battle 53-25, contributing to 22 second-chance points. Out rebounding a smaller team may have been expected, but what came as more of a surprise was the ability of the Florida bigs to move its feet. Merrimack utilized on and off ball screens on almost every offensive possession. Chinyelu and Condon were able to switch on to Merrimack guards and stay home. With such a large height advantage, Florida proved that even against small, shifty teams, it can hang defensively.
The Gators faced a 2-3 zone defense for the first time this year. This defensive change was met with little resistance, as Florida was able to attack weak spots in the zone with Condon, Haugh and Chinyelu playing a high-low game. When Condon and Haugh get downhill at the free throw line, virtually no team has been able to stop them from getting to the rim. Haugh finished with 13 points, while Condon led all scorers and had his second game of the year with 20 points or more.
Boogie Fland set the tone early forcing two Warriors turnovers with his active hands. He was glued to Merrimack’s best player, dynamic guard Ernset Shelton, who averaged 21 points a game coming into the contest. He left the O-dome with only 3 points (1-for-9 from the field), while Fland finished with 10 points.
Isaiah Brown and Urban Klavzar shot the rock with confidence off the bench. They both hit two 3s, a welcome sight with the starting backcourts shooting woes.
Backcourt Still Struggling
For the second straight game, Xaivian Lee did not hit a 3 (0-4). In fact, he did not even hit a basket, being shutout with 0 points. With Merrimack being the last non-power 5 game for Florida ahead of a stretch that will include TCU, Wisconsin or Providence, Duke and UConn, the lack of shotmaking for the starting shooting guard will have to take a turn. Florida will not be able to leverage its height in every matchup.
Freshman CJ Ingram and Alex Lloyd, whose minutes have been shaky, both hit 3s in Friday’s contest. Although it was in garbage time, those are the types of shots that builds momentum when it actually matters.
Of Note: Florida’s Olivier Rioux, the tallest player in college basketball history at 7-foot-9, got fouled the first time he touched the ball late in the game and hit a free throw. He also got his first rebound. He got the loudest ovation of the night from the sold-out crowd when he entered with 2:26 remaining.
Up Next
Florida travels across the country to face TCU (3-2) in the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego at 3 p.m. Thursday (FS1).
Category: College Basketball, Feature Sports News, Gators Men's Basketball
