Florida and Kansas State’s chapter of the Big 12-SEC Challenge was over pretty quickly as the Wildcats jumped out to quick double digit lead over the Gators and never relinquished control, winning 64-50. Once again a common theme for the Gators is the central storyline for this game–Florida was able to defend well enough, but their offense was sorely inadequate to win. Myreon Jones did his best to shoulder some of the offensive load with 11 points in the first half but he wasn’t able to contribute much in the season, and the Gators finished the game shooting 31% from the field. Florida is now 1-8 in quadrant-1 opportunities and missed out on an opportunity to get a quality win.
Some Good, Some Bad
Right now Florida’s identity is on the defensive end and it has allowed them to stay in some games where their offense has struggled and they once again showed how stout they can be on the defensive end holding a talented Kansas State team to 64 points on 38% shooting. However, it wasn’t all good as the Gators really struggled to contain the dribble drive which allowed the Wildcats to get a comfortable lead early and coast for much of the game. Stellar 5’8” point guard Markquis Nowell was able to get in the paint whenever he wanted and started flirting with a triple double in the first half, finishing with 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists–though he took it pretty easy in the second half with his team leading by nearly 20 for most of the frame. The Gators are a solid defense that plays smart and plays connected but they do lack a complete lockdown one-on-one defender, particularly at the guard spot, and this game illuminated that problem.
Help Off The Bench
At this point Florida’s offensive issues are numerous but on Saturday night one of the biggest issues is that the Gators got very little help off the bench. Florida’s reserves combined for only 3 points on the night and no one was able to give a lift when they entered the game for a team that could really use one. Trey Bonham started the season as a potent scorer but has gone cold since SEC play started and hasn’t been given the chance to have the ball in his hands much, and Kowacie Reeves was off-balanced and never seemed to have his rhythm as he finished 0-5 from the field. Florida’s offensive issues are deep and the blame shouldn’t fall on the bench players, but it was an issue that was noticeable against the Wildcats.
Keyontae Johnson Reunion
Seeing Keyontae Johnson in a Kansas State jersey was a strange sight for a lot of Gator fans but everyone was happy to see him healthy playing the sport he loves at a high level. He finished tied with a game high 13 points while also contributing 12 rebounds–the exact style of basketball he was known for in his time at Florida. Before the tip Johnson was quick to connect with his former teammates, but the real time for embraces and shared words was after the game when he came to the Gators bench and had the opportunity to spend some time. It was a tough night for Florida fans watching their team struggle, but it was great to see a healthy Keyontae.
Final Thoughts
Right now the issues with this team are consistent and they don’t seem to be getting any better. Florida’s defense is stout, but their offense has been predictable, non-threatening, and inefficient. Kansas State entered the game with the 40th ranked defense in the country according to KenPom which is good, but not elite–and they absolutely dominated Florida’s offense. Right now the NCAA Tournament is just out of arm’s reach and the offense will need to get drastically better to change that.