After a disappointing start to the SEC season the Gators were able to move things in a positive direction, spoiling former head coach Mike White’s return to Gainesville and completing an 82-75 victory. Starting slow and falling to a double digit deficit the Gators never panicked and kept the pressure on, using their defensive intensity to fuel run outs that turned into easy points that were ultimately the difference. With Georgia entering the game 91st in KenPom this is Florida’s biggest win of the season so far and hopefully one they can build on.
Offensive Improvements
As of late the Gators have been getting things done on defense but they haven’t been able to parlay that into wins because of how poor their offense has been. Things took a turn on Saturday as they were able to put points on the board, finishing with 82 points on 49% shooting from the field. While their half court offense and sets weren’t always crisp they were much more dedicated to pushing the ball in transition off of steals and rebounds and they were able to score with relative ease in that setting. Head coach Todd Golden has always wanted to play fast and Florida’s fast break has come and gone, but having success with an uptempo style against Georgia will hopefully inspire the Gators to continue to show dedication to push.
Defensive Anchor
Colin Castleton has been one of the best rim protectors in the country over the last three seasons and he showed why once again, finishing with 7 blocks against the Bulldogs. Early in the first half there wasn’t a lot going right for the Gators and things had the chance to get out of hand but Castleton kept them in the game with his shot blocking, erasing layups that looked like they were going to be easy Georgia points. Each shot block brought the team energy and often ignited a fast break on the other side of the floor, making Castleton’s effort in this one a major contributor to Florida’s win. He was no slouch on the other side of the floor either, adding 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Stepping Up Offensively
Point guard Kyle Lofton has never been a big time scorer and is known more for his passing and defense but with Georgia aggressively double teaming Colin Castleton the Gators needed someone to step up and take some scoring load and in this instance it was Lofton who finished with 18 points and 3 assists. Shooting 7-11 from the field he was extremely efficient, using savvy changes of pace and cuts away from the ball to freeze his defender and get to the rim for wide open layups. He even knocked down one of his two three-point attempts, something that will be great for his confidence considering the jumper isn’t a strength. Florida’s coaching staff greatly values the leadership that Lofton brings the team and he confidently stepped up to the plate on Saturday when the team needed some extra contribution.
Final Thoughts
Florida desperately needed this win because there aren’t a lot of easy wins in the SEC so if you want to compete for the top half of the league you need to beat teams like Georgia at home. Of course, there was also the unmistakable storyline of Mike White coming back to Gainesville, and a Florida loss would have not been good in the eyes of a lot of fans who aren’t happy with the way this season has gone. The Gators will have to be happy with the offensive improvements they saw and they’ll hope to build on that in their next contest, a road game at LSU.