The No. 21 Florida Gators basketball team (7-3) fell to in-state rival Florida State (10-1) for the third straight year, 83-78. In only the third loss of the year for the Gators, it came in the same week as their second loss. Both losses came against ACC opponents and both came on disappointing offensive performances for head coach Mike White and company.
It was a 48 percent shooting night for the Gators to the Seminole’s 46 with much of the Gator scoring for the entire game came from Gator guard’s Kasey Hill (21) and KeVaughn Allen (15). Hill’s career-high 21 points come in the third consecutive loss to the Seminoles, but Hill coming on is a good sign for the Gators in this young season.
For Florida State, it was DeWayne Bacon who led in scoring with 24. It was the second straight year that Bacon torched the Gators making back-breaking shot after back-breaking shot. The Noles out rebounded the Gators 42-33 but the Gators won the turnover battle 14-9.
This was no doubt a disappointing loss for Mike White and the Gators but finally, this young team will get off the road and settle in for its home opener in two weeks. The Gators play against Charlotte next Saturday and will use the six days of rest and practice it enters the last stretch of games before the SEC opener against Arkansas.