Although it was an exhibition game, Gator Nation got to witness how the players on this year’s Florida Gators squad appeared when playing in their first live action of the season.
It didn’t go as smooth as many would’ve liked it to, but we got a lot of insight from watching an exhibition game versus a Division II school that gave Florida a battle.
Here are five things to take away from the Florida-Barry exhibition game:
Defensive Security
As we all know by now after watching the first game played in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center this season, this new squad needs to establish a defensive presence. In preseason scrimmages and practices head coach Billy Donovan kept repeating that the team doesn’t have a sense of defensive awareness that last year’s team’s had. With that being said, it showed immensely against the D2 Barry Bucs. It was the second narrowest exhibition victory in the Billy Donovan era at Florida. The narrowest was a five-point win in 1999 against the California All Stars. But if it makes anyone feel any better, last year’s team allowed 88 points in their exhibition game against Florida Southern and that team made the Final Four. Florida won’t be able to play like that against their regular season opponents that will certainly score more on the Gators lackadaisical defense.
Donovan’s Take: “What I’m trying to figure out right now is, are we even talented enough to play defense? I think we’re better than what we showed.”
The Book of Eli
The Rutgers transfer was finally able to display what he’s capable of from his pre-injury days. Eli Carter scored a game-high 21 points, drained five treys and snagged three rebounds. Carter started in the three-guard lineup of Kasey Hill and Michael Frazier II and put in the Gators first points of the game with an easy lay up. He also logged in 30 minutes of playing time. Is it possible to see more of that during the season? If he’s consistent and remains healthy, Carter can be the secret ingredient that will prove in the long run for the Gators and can be relied on to score on a game-by-game basis.
Carter’s Take: “I feel a lot better. Thanks to Duke (Dave Werner) and all of the trainers, coaches and players that helped me along the way. It was a long process, but I feel great. I’m blessed.”
Freshman Woes
Devin Robinson did not have the first game he wanted to have in a Florida jersey. The first game jitters got to D-Rob as he shot 2 of 10 from the field and made 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. At one point during the game, Robinson was 0 for 9 from the floor before finally draining a three to stop the bleeding. The freshman also compiled four personal fouls, which was one away from being done for his first game. He did add-on a ferocious alley-oop off a Kasey Hill assist, but he showed just why he is a freshman. The kid has talent, but he needs to establish himself in the game.
Donovan’s Take: “He needs to change his mentality in terms of what he’s really got to focus on…He played 17 minutes and took 10 shots and I can’t even say any of them were any good. He’s a freshman and he’s going to have his ups and downs. I think he’ll respond and rebound from this. But he has to understand what goes into the game.”
Absence of the post game
This season, Florida doesn’t have a natural, go-to inside big-man to throw the ball at down low and arrange a different way of scoring. Unless Jon Horford shows something different than how he played versus Barry, then the Gators will have to start from scratch on building that scheme if they don’t abandon it right away. Every time the ball went to Horford, he would either take a dribble or pass it back to an open player in the backcourt. The Michigan transfer did collect 10 rebounds, which is something the Gators need, but he only added five points and actually expanded the floor as he took a three-pointer and a deep two pointer. Can Chris Walker add to that? Donovan said that is not Walker’s game. Do the Gators have a post game to approach at all this season then?
Donovan’s Take: “We’re not going to have one,” Donovan said of having an inside post game presence. “That’s is something we are going to really have to figure out in terms of putting pressure at the basket. We don’t have a back to the basket post player at all that we can throw the ball inside to.”
No longer a sixth-man
Dorian Finney-Smith proved that, thus far, he is embracing his new role. Posting the first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 boards, Doe-Doe netted the three ball as well making 3-of-5 and shot efficiently at 50-percent from the field. He will be a big asset for the team and one of the leaders throughout the season. Finney-Smith has also proved to be arguably the best rebounder on the team, according to Donovan. He’ll have to continue adding a defensive presence, collect the rebounds and put in a good amount of points per game.
Finney-Smith’s Take: “I got mixed emotions right now because we allowed a lot of points. I’m not thinking about what I did, I just know we have to get better.”