It took a couple of weeks but the Gators finally got their first win of the SEC season controlling most of the game and beating the South Carolina Gamecocks 71-63. The Gators jumped out to an early lead in the first half spurred on by some of the best offense they’ve played of the season and never fully allowed the Gamecocks back into the game, even when they went on a few surges. South Carolina is a team projected to finish near the bottom of the SEC so this wasn’t exactly a marquee opponent the Gators took down, but since it was a road game in Columbia it’s a quadrant-2 win for Florida who needs to continue to put those kinds of wins on the resume.
Emerging Star
Former five star recruit Kowacie Reeves, having finally been given a major role by the Gators, came alive on Saturday with 14 points, tying Phlandrous Fleming for the team lead. He did it on efficient 4-6 shooting from the field, burying two threes that demonstrated his immaculate footwork and lightning quick release, as well as using a lethal first step to jolt into the paint and finish. At 6’7” with offensive creation abilities Reeves is an NBA-caliber prospect and the more the Gators play him the more he’s comfortable, and he’s proving why he deserves a major role moving forward.
Protecting The Rim
Colin Castleton finished the game with 8 blocks, and there were a few plays where it looked like he could have been credited with a touch that would have gotten him up to double digits in the category. He has been one of the best shot blockers in the country for a year and a half and he showed why again against the Gamecocks getting his hands on shots left, right, and center and erasing shot attempts that could have been easy South Carolina points. Given that the Gators only won by 8, 8 blocks by Castleton is pretty significant as if even half of those shots weren’t rejected and went in this game could have been tied. Of course, it wasn’t just the defensive end where Castleton shined as he also had 10 big points, and he remains the focal point of Florida’s offense.
Back To Basics
Florida’s offense looked the best it has in a few weeks as they shot 55% from the field. A lot of the reason was that they went back to a modernized Princeton offense, something the Gators have used for stretches over the last two seasons. There have certainly been matchups where it hasn’t been effective, and that’s why they have gone away from it, but it seems against certain defenses it really seems to open things up and this was one of those games. The Princeton offense uses primarily off-ball movement and “split cuts,” and when it works like it did against South Carolina it can result in easy layups. Florida likely won’t go back to this offense exclusively moving forward but it’s an offense that they can go to periodically and see if it will soften up defenses.
Still Struggling
The only reason South Carolina was in this game was their offensive rebounding. They grabbed 21 offensive rebounds, and for much of the game they had as many offensive rebounds as the Gators had defensive rebounds. Rebounding continues to be an issue for the Gators, and you saw Mike White pulling players for missing boxouts. This is definitely an area of the game that the Gators need to improve, and if they don’t they’ll allow lesser opponents to stay in some games.
Final Thoughts
Florida has needed to get in the win column so it’s a bit of a breath of relief for the Gators to come out victorious. Adding to the encouragement will be the fact that Florida won the game with their offense, as that has definitely been a struggle for them this season. Perhaps the most exciting takeaway was the play of Kowacie Reeves, who will likely be playing more minutes moving forward, at least in the short term.