It wasn’t always pretty but the Gators were able to get enough stops to defeat the South Florida Bulls by a score of 66-55, taking the Orange Bowl Classic. It was a physical, low scoring affair that saw both teams struggling to make plays offensively but a timely surge of offense by the Gators in the second half gave them the cushion they needed and they were able to hold on for the win. South Florida is a physical team with some legitimate size in the frontcourt and this was definitely a valuable experience for the Gators who continue to try to right the ship after a stretch where they lost three of four games. The bright spot for South Florida was Caleb Murphy, a former top 100 recruit who had some interest from the Gators, who finished with 16 points and provided most of the Bulls’ production.
Changing It Up
Only shooting 39% from the field and 31% from three with 17 turnovers this was far from a productive offensive game for the Gators but they did show some signs of life that suggest there is going to be some schematic development. They ran a few different plays for shooters that they haven’t yet ran this season, namely a “stack” screen that got Brandon McKissic an open three and a “hammer” screen set for Myreon Jones that got him wide open, and for a team that has struggled to score it’s good to see them trying different offensive actions. Florida was sloppy offensively, particularly in their pick and roll offense where multiple players fumbled the rock and turned it over, but after very adjustments after the losses to Oklahoma and Texas Southern it was progress to see some new actions added to the playbook.
Staying Hot
Phlandrous Fleming came off the bench for the Gators but made his presence known immediately and was a key player throughout the game contributing 12 points and a massive block in transition when South Florida nearly made a comeback in the second half. Fleming has been about as consistent as anyone on the Gators this season, and what makes his game special is that he can contribute on both ends. Fleming is one of the better individual creators on Florida’s wing, and defensively he can both lock down on the perimeter and use his long arms to make a recovery block if the defense breaks down and he’s got to mop up a mistake. Most would probably argue Colin Castleton (who also had 12 points) has been Florida’s most important player this year, but Phlandrous Fleming is right there.
Building A Role
Jason Jitoboh’s minutes have been slowly but steadily climbing in recent games and he made his case to continue to get more burn with a loud 4 points, 4 rebounds performance on Saturday. Obviously the 6’11”, 300 pound center brings some bulk to the inside, but it’s been his hands finishing around the rim that have provided some buckets when not a lot else has gone right for the Gators. His solid minutes have allowed the Gators to give a bit more of a break to Colin Castleton who had been playing a ton in the early season and that could have a number of benefits down the line.
Scary Moment
Brandon McKissic had to leave the game after a scary moment where he went hard to the rim for a layup, only to get minorly undercut and land hard. On the bench it appeared that it was his left arm that took the worst of the fall, so this will be a situation to follow moving forward.
Final Thoughts
This wasn’t a stellar performance from the Gators who allowed a struggling South Florida team to stay in the mix for much of the game, keeping it as close as 3 points deep into the second half. However, it was positive to see the Gators adding a few things to the playbook, and Jason Jitoboh, Phlandrous Fleming, CJ Felder, and Kowacie Reeves also gave good minutes off the bench. The Gators will next see a sneaky-good Stony Brook team on Wednesday.