Early in the year, even when Gator fans would grumble about everything else, there rarely was a whimper about the defense.
Led by sophomore guard Kenny Boynton, Florida allowed only one of its first 11 opponents to score more than 66 points. And the team that broke the trend was now No. 1 Ohio State, which is still unbeaten.
But somehow the D let up a bit when Southeastern Conference play began.
In a 2-1 SEC start, Mississippi, Tennessee and South Carolina all scored at least 71 points, averaging 72.7 points.
However, the last two games have seen the return of the lockdown Gators.
Victories at Auburn and home against Arkansas saw UF’s foes average 41.5 points and scoring the lowest two-game total against Florida (83 points) in the 15-year Billy Donovan Era. That topped the previous mark by seven points.
It also was the first time since 1947 (and in the shot-clock era) that UF’s SEC opponents had scored less than 45 points in consecutive games.
“We got back to what we do best,” said Boynton, who didn’t allow Arkansas’ leading scorer, Rotnei Clark, a shot last game.
If the trend continues on Tuesday night against Georgia, that might be the most impressive feat to date. The Bulldogs enter the game leading the league by making 46.6 percent of their shots.
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR/ANSWERS FROM
Arkansas
1. Last Thursday night against Auburn, the Gators made just 5-of-26 three-point shots (19.2 percent), a number that was boosted by UF making its last two deep balls. Without those, Florida would have shot 12.5 percent. Opponents of Arkansas have made fewer than 30 percent of their three-point tries this season. Will the Gators shoot threes better against the Razorbacks?
Answer: The Gators made 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) of their three-point attempts. Shooting guard Kenny Boynton sank 4-of-7 from deep.
2. Arkansas is small, starting two 6-footers and a 6-1 guard. The Razorbacks have used their quickness advantage to take the SEC lead in steals with 9.41-a-game. How will the Gators handle the pressure against a team that forces 17.1 turnovers-a-game?
Answer: In what may have been their best performance of the year, the Gators had a mere seven turnovers, and the Razorbacks recorded just four steals.
3. If there is one area UF should have a huge advantage, it is rebounding. The Gators come in with a plus-6.8 rebounding margin, while Arkansas comes in at minus-3.8. The Razorbacks are the league’s worst rebounding team. Will UF take advantage?
Answer: The Gators outrebounded their visitors, 43-30. Chandler Parsons’ career-high 15 rebounds equaled half of the Razorbacks’ total.
4. The Gators did show improved foul shooting last game, making 10-of-14 (71.4 percent). Included in that was a 5-for-5 first half and a 4-for-4 stretch to close the game. Will the free throw positivity continue?
Answer: For the second straight game, UF went 10-of-14 at the foul line.
5. With only 48 hours between games, UF could be playing on tired legs. That means Donovan is going to need more out of his bench. Will he get it, and if so, who will step up?
Answer: Donovan got quality bench play against the Razorbacks. The Gator reserves combined to play 62 minutes with Patric Young (20) and Scottie Wilbekin (21) getting the most time. A much-deserved pat on the back goes to freshman swingman Casey Prather. No doubt this season has been frustrating for the 6-foot-6 Tennessee native, as turnovers and other miscues have negatively impacted the coaching staff’s confidence in him. However, against the Bulldogs he played 10 minutes, scoring six points, grabbing four rebounds (three offensive), dishing out a pair of assists and only having one turnover.
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
Georgia
1. The up-and-down Gators got themselves back in the top-25 this week (24 AP, 23 coaches) for the first time in 2011. Getting a victory in Athens is something even Kentucky couldn’t do, so this is a quality post-ranking test. Will the Gators hold up or fold up?
2. In juniors Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins, Georgia has two likely first-round NBA draft picks in its starting lineup. How will UF handle this duo?
3. Reserve power forward Erik Murphy has played six and 13 minutes in his two games back after missing time with a foot injury. Is this the game he is back up to between 16 and 21 minutes?
4. In a blowout of Mississippi State last Saturday, Georgia outrebounded MSU, 48-23, with 17 offensive boards. Still, UF enters the game with a higher average rebounding margin than the Bulldogs (plus-7.1 to plus-4.8). Who wins the battle of the boards?
5. Opponents are making less than 40 percent of their shots against the Bulldogs. Meanwhile, Florida enters the game shooting 46.1 percent as a team. How will the Gators shoot?
GAME 20 PREVIEW
No. 24/23 FLORIDA GATORS (14-4, 3-1)
Position: Players, Height/Weight, Year, 2010-11 statistics
G: Erving Walker, 5-8/171, JR, 13.7 points per game, 3.2 assists per game
G: Kenny Boynton, 6-2/183, SO, 12.8 points per game, 2.7 assists per game
F: Chandler Parsons, 6-10/218, SR, 10 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game
F: Alex Tyus, 6-8/220, SR, 9.5 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game
C: Vernon Macklin, 6-10/240, SR, 10.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game
Head coach: Billy Donovan (346-143 in 15th season at Florida; 381-163 in 17th season as a head coach)
GEORGIA BULLDOGS (14-4, 3-2)
Position: Players, Height/Weight, Year, 2010-11 statistics
G: Dustin Ware, 5-11/182, JR, 7.4 points per game, 3.8 assists per game
G: Gerald Robinson, 6-1/180, JR, 14.1 points per game, 4.2 assists per game
G/F:Travis Leslie, 6-4/205, JR, 14.7 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game
F: Trey Thompkins, 6-10/245, JR, 17.4 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game
F: Jeremy Price, 6-8/270, SR, 8.0 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game
Head coach: Mark Fox (28-21 in second season at Georgia; 151-64 in seventh season as a head coach)
When: Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m.
Where: Stegeman Coliseum (Athens, Ga.)
TV/Radio: ESPN/Gator Radio Network
Tickets: Available. Visit http://www.georgiadogs.com.
Notable: Florida leads the all-time series, 103-96. The Gators lost the last meeting in Athens, 78-76, on Feb. 27, 2010, despite Chandler Parsons’ career-high 29 points. That was UF’s second straight two-point loss at Stegeman Coliseum. However, Florida has won 12-of-the-last-14 in the series. … Florida is 20-7 against the Bulldogs under coach Billy Donovan. That includes an 8-5 mark in Stegeman Coliseum. … Florida has won 10-of-its-last-12 games with six of those victories coming against teams with top 100 RPIs. … The Gators are looking to win three consecutive Southeastern Conference games for the first time in 11 months. Between Feb. 18-23, 2010, UF defeated Auburn, Mississippi and Tennessee. The current run includes a victory at Auburn and home against Arkansas. … Kenny Boynton entered SEC play making just 27.6 percent of his three-point shots. He is making 38.2 percent of his threes in conference games. He has made a team-high 13 threes in league play, and leads UF with 14.4 ppg in the SEC. … The Gators are 8-0 when dishing out at least 15 assists this season. … Florida is 11-1 when holding opponents to 60 points or less. … Georgia’s Trey Thompkins ranks fifth in the SEC with an average of 17.4 ppg. … The Bulldogs guards are prolific when it comes to dishing the ball. They lead the league with an average of 15.6 assists-per-game. Gerald Robinson is second in the conference with 4.2 apg, while Dustin Ware has an SEC-best 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. … Florida is 6-0 all-time in conference play under Donovan when holding opponents to less than 50 points. … The Gators blocked just 94 shots last year, a total fewer than Joakim Noah blocked in 2006. However, this team has been UF’s best set of shot-blockers since 2007. The 2010-11 Gators already have blocked 81 shots, including five each the last four games. Florida blocked five shots in a game just four times all of last year. UF is 6-1 this season when it blocks at least five shots.
PAST EXAMS AND GATOR(GR)ADES
Game 1: Florida 77, UNC Wilmington 60. Gator Player of the Game: Scottie Wilbekin (3 points, 5 assists, 4 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Chad Tomko (15 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B– . Record: 1-0.
Game 2: Ohio State 93, Florida 75. Gator Player of the Game: Vernon Macklin (12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block); Opposing Players of the Game: David Lighty (26 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal) and Jared Sullinger (26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C. Record: 1-1.
Game 3: Florida 105, North Carolina A&T 55. Gator Player of the Game: Will Yeguete (7 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Thomas Coleman (8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A– . Record: 2-1.
Game 4: Florida 61, Morehead State 55. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Kenneth Faried (20 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocked shots. Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C– . Record: 3-1.
Game 5: Florida 79, Florida Atlantic 63. Gator Players of the Game: Alex Tyus (19 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist) and Kenny Boynton (21 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound); Opposing Player of the Game: Greg Gantt (17 points, 2 assists, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B-. Record: 4-1.
Game 6: Florida 55, Florida State 51. Gator Player of the Game: Erik Murphy (10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 blocked shot); Opposing Player of the Game: Michael Snaer (15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 5-1.
Game 7: Central Florida 57, Florida 54. Gator Player of the Game: Vernon Macklin (20 points on 10-of-11 shooting, 8 rebounds); Opposing Player of the Game: Marcus Jordan (18 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C-. Record: 5-2.
Game 8: Florida 67, American 48. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Troy Brewer (17 points, 2 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 6-2.
Game 9: Florida 65, Kent State 52. Gator Players of the Game: Alex Tyus (20 points on 10-of-15 shooting, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist) and Vernon Macklin (19 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 8 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 1 steal, 1 assist); Opposing Player of the Game: Carlton Guyton (14 points, 4-of-6 on three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 3 assists). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 7-2.
Game 10: Florida 57, Kansas State 44. Gator Players of the Game: Kenny Boynton (15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, 1 assist, helped limit Pullen to 6-of-17 shooting); Opposing Player of the Game: Jacob Pullen (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 8-2.
Game 11: Jacksonville 71, Florida 68 (OT). Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (game-high 21 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound); Opposing Player of the Game: Keith McDougald (team-high 18 points – 15 in the second half/overtime, 2 steals, 1 rebound). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D+. Record: 8-3.
Game 12: Florida 66, Radford 55. Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (game-high 20 points, including 5-of-7 on 3s, 3 assists, 2 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Johnathan Edwards (team-high 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C-. Record: 9-3.
Game 13: Florida 71, Xavier 67. Gator Player of the Game: Kenny Boynton (16 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal); Opposing Player of the Game: Tu Holloway (game-high 26 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 10-3.
Game 14: Florida 84, Rhode Island 59. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (18 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 blocked shot); Opposing Player of the Game: Delroy James (game-high 23 points, 6 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 11-3.
Game 15: Florida 77, Mississippi 71. Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (20 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, becomes 47th Gator to record 1,000 career points); Opposing Player of the Game: Chris Warren (20 points, 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 rebounds, 1 blocked shot). Buddy’s Gator(Gr)ade: B+. Record: 12-3 (1-0 in the SEC).
Game 16: Florida 81, Tennessee 75 (OT). Gator Player of the Game: Alex Tyus (18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 1 steal); Opposing Players of the Game: Cameron Tatum (game-high 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal) and Tobias Harris (18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 13-3 (2-0).
Game 17: South Carolina 72, Florida 69 Gator Player of the Game: Patric Young (career-high 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal, 2-for-2 FTs in 19 minutes); Opposing Player of the Game: Bruce Ellington (game-high 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4-for-4 on FTs, 1 turnover in 30 minutes). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D+. Record: 13-4 (2-1).
Game 18: Florida 45, Auburn 40 Gator Player of the Game: No award given; Opposing Player of the Game: Earnest Ross (11 points, 3-of-4 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, game-high 3 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D. Record: 14-4 (3-1).
Game 19: Florida 75, Arkansas 43 Gator Players of the Game: Kenny Boynton (20 points, 4-of-7 three-pointers, 4 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, held Razorbacks’ leading scorer, Rotnei Clark, shotless) and Chandler Parsons (career-high 15 rebounds, 5 points, game-high 5 assists); Opposing Player of the Game: Delvon Johnson (12 points, team-high 7 rebounds, 1 blocked shot). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 15-4 (4-1).