It took extra time in Gainesville but the Gators were able to get the early jump in overtime and come out on top over the Ole Miss Rebels by a score of 62-57. If that score sounds low to you for a game that had five extra minutes of basketball, you’d be correct. Neither team was able to get their rhythm offensively at any point in the game but the Gators were able to get a couple more key scores in overtime which was ultimately the difference. Ole Miss was actually up by 9 points at the half, and the Gators led by 6 with three and half minutes left, so it was a game of slowly building momentum that Florida was lucky to survive.
Welcome Back
Colin Castleton was back in the lineup after missing several weeks due to a shoulder injury and the Gators were more than happy to have him back. Finishing with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks, Castleton was looking like his regular self despite still nursing a left shoulder that was taped up and clearly limiting what he could do. In addition to the limited movement due to the injury you could tell Castleton also didn’t have his regular stamina having missed a few weeks leading to some quick shifts early, but with the game close Mike White had to keep him out there for long stretches and he finished the game with 34 minutes played. Florida was able to tread water with Castleton out but seeing him back gives the Gators a key interior presence they clearly need.
Closing It Out
Tyree Appleby played some outstanding basketball while Colin Castleton was out and while he struggled in the first half Saturday he was there in the biggest moments of the game hitting a huge shot and creating layups for his teammates. Despite going 1-10 from the field he was hugely impactful finishing with 10 points (going 7-8 from the free throw line to close out the game) and more importantly–10 assists. Hitting double digits in assists is tough to do in college basketball but Appleby’s ability to create shots for teammates with his pressure on the rim and vision is something unlike most guards in the country. Without his calm free throw shooting in the clutch, this very well could have been Ole Miss’ game.
Clamping Down
This was one of Florida’s best defensive games of the season holding Ole Miss to 33% shooting with 14 turnovers. Having Castleton back was big, but perhaps a bigger reason why was the insertion of seldom-used wing Niels Lane. He started the game (the first of his career) and played 29 minutes including some of the biggest possessions of the game providing the Gators with quality defense whether on the ball or as a help defender. Lane knew what his role was and completely stayed within it, taking only one field goal attempt in his 29 minutes and instead looking to move the ball as quickly as possible when it got in his hands. Does Lane limit the team offensively right now? Sure, but his value on the defense for a team that has been leaking water on that end is massive.
Final Thoughts
Ole Miss, without Daeshun Ruffin who torched the Gators in the first meeting of the season, is a game that Florida was expected to handle quite easily and that was far from the case. Florida still struggles to score even with Castleton back and some execution issues late in regulation allowed the Rebels to push the game to overtime. However, Florida showed grit coming back after trailing by 9 points at the half and Tyree Appleby was excellent in overtime to win the game for Florida. This isn’t a game that’s going to better perception of Florida in any way but they avoided a catastrophic loss that would have tanked their NCAA Tournament resume and they once again showed just how scrappy this team is.