The last time Florida and Georgia met on the basketball court, they provided perhaps the most memorable game the Southeastern Conference has seen this season.
So, is there any way the Gators and Bulldogs can match that 104-91 double-overtime thriller (which included buzzer-beaters by each team) won by UF on Jan. 25 in Stegeman Coliseum?
Probably not with Chandler Parsons, who scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in 41 minutes of action, iffy at best. But after exciting nailbiters in the last two games at the O’Connell Center (close victories against Kentucky and Tennessee), the home crowds have been spoiled of late.
But, again, a lot of what UF (21-5, 10-2 in the SEC) does goes through the athletic and versatile Parsons. And coach Billy Donovan, whose club has won five consecutive games, is only hopeful his 6-foot-10 senior small forward will be back.
“Right now, I’m not personally overly optimistic that he’ll play (against Georgia),” Donovan said Monday. “I would like to see him (play). I think in his mind he wants to play, and will try to play. But the last time he did anything physically was this past Friday and really, (he) couldn’t get much done at all.
“So it’s kind of a unique situation; one, because we’ve got a lot of games in a short time, and two, playing (Sunday) afternoon in Baton Rouge, we’ve got a couple of days here to see how much progress he can make.
“I’m not so sure that he’s going to make the progress necessary to play. I think we’ll prepare (for) the game without him.”
That is good news for the talented, but depth-deprived Bulldogs (18-8, 7-5), who are trying to earn their way into the NCAA Tournament. Georgia just picked up a huge victory at Tennessee last weekend and is hoping to ride that momentum into Gainesville against the SEC East leaders.
“We need every win we can get right now,” said Bulldogs coach Mark Fox, whose team has won 4-of-6 and is 4-2 on the road in the SEC. “But I feel like we are playing pretty well and our players understand the challenges in front of us.”
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR/ANSWERS FROM
LSU
1. After a 2-0 start in conference play, LSU has lost nine consecutive games. The Tigers have lost by double digits in six of those (including by 38 to Kentucky, by 27 to Mississippi, by 22 to Tennessee, by 34 to Alabama and 19 to Arkansas). Will this be close?
Answer: For a while it looked like UF was going to win a blowout, as Florida played 20 minutes of its best basketball to open the contest. However, after taking a 40-25 lead into the halftime break, LSU played better and the far superior Gators just went through the motions. Final score: UF 68-61.
2. Florida swingman Chandler Parsons enters the contest having played in a team-best 131 consecutive games. However, he suffered a deep thigh bruise last Saturday evening against Tennessee. How much, if anything, will UF get out of its versatile senior?
Answer: They got a cheerleader, and at times, perhaps an advice-giver. Parsons made the trip, but did not play.
3. With Parsons expected to be limited at best, freshman Casey Prather could be in line for more minutes. Will he get those added minutes, and how will he play?
Answer: From all accounts, Prather played pretty well defensively (except for a bad foul on a three-point shot). He didn’t really bring anything offensively, though, going 0-for-2 for zero points to go with an assist. He did grab three rebounds and a steal in his 15 minutes of action.
4. The Gators are 4-0 in SEC play when dishing out at least 15 assists. They have achieved that feat two times in the last three games. Will they do it again on Sunday?
Answer: Florida remains 4-0 in SEC play when dishing out at least 15 assists. The Gators only had seven on Sunday.
5. With 189 career three-pointers, UF junior point guard Erving Walker needs just three more to tie Matt Walsh for sixth place in school history. Will he do it?
Answer: Walker went 3-for-6 from deep, so he did do it. He’s now six behind Kenyan Weaks for a fifth-place tie (see lists below “5 Questions For Georgia”). And now, he faces the team he hit the biggest 3 of his career against.
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
Georgia
1. Opponents are shooting just .398 from the floor against the Bulldogs. The last time these two teams played, UF entered shooting .461 and shot exactly that for the game. This time, the Gators enter shooting .457. How will they fare this time around against a tenacious Dawg defense?
2. When these two teams first met, Kenny Boynton was very assertive on the offensive end, getting to the foul line 12 times and making all of them. Will he once again go hard to the hoop and draw contact. And if so, will he even come close to match that 12-for-12 performance?
3. In the first meeting of the year, starting power forwards Alex Tyus and Trey Thompkins combined to make just 10-of-31 shots. Will one or both have a better shooting night the second time around?
4. Georgia doesn’t have just one player in the top five in the SEC in assists, it has two. Distin Ware (3.9 apg) is tied for third, while Gerald Robinson (3.8) is fifth. In the first game between the two teams, Ware and Robinson each had three assists in a double-overtime contest. Will the Gators do another good job defending those two outstanding passers?
5. Can Chandler Parsons go, and if so, how much can he contribute and how many minutes will he play?
DEEP SHOOTERS
Florida’s junior point guard Erving Walker tied Matt Walsh for sixth place on the school’s all-time three-pointers made list last Sunday against LSU. Walker and Walsh each have 192 for their careers. Here is UF’s top-5 all-time:
1. Lee Humphrey (2004-07)- 288
2. Brett Nelson (2000-03)- 274
3. Anthony Roberson (2003-05)- 267
4. Greg Stolt (1996-99)- 243
5. Kenyan Weaks (1997-00)- 198
With makes come attempts, and Walker just moved past Teddy Dupay (496) into the top 5 on the list of three-pointers tried at UF.
1. Nelson- 689
2. Roberson- 665
3. Humphrey- 649
4. Stolt- 578
5. Walker- 501
GAME 27 PREVIEW
No. 13 FLORIDA GATORS (21-5, 10-2)
Position: Players, Height/Weight, Year, 2010-11 statistics
G: Erving Walker, 5-8/171, JR, 14.8 points per game, 3.3 assists per game
G: Kenny Boynton, 6-2/183, SO, 13.1 points per game, 2.3 assists per game
F: Chandler Parsons, 6-10/218, SR, 10.8 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game
F: Alex Tyus, 6-8/220, SR, 8.6 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game
C: Vernon Macklin, 6-10/240, SR, 11.5 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game
Head coach: Billy Donovan (352-144 in 15th season at Florida; 387-164 in 17th season as a head coach)
GEORGIA BULLDOGS (18-8, 7-5)
Position: Players, Height/Weight, Year, 2010-11 statistics
G: Dustin Ware, 5-11/182, JR, 8.3 points per game, 3.9 assists per game
G: Gerald Robinson, 6-1/180, JR, 12.7 points per game, 3.8 assists per game
G/F:Travis Leslie, 6-4/205, JR, 14.0 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game
F: Trey Thompkins, 6-10/245, JR, 16.0 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game
F: Jeremy Price, 6-8/270, SR, 9.3 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game
Head coach: Mark Fox (32-25 in second season at Georgia; 155-68 in seventh season as a head coach)
When: Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center
TV/Radio: ESPN2/ESPN3D/Gator Radio Network/Sirius 121/XM 141
Tickets: Available at the box office or visit http://www.gatorzone.com/tickets/
Notable: Entering Thursday night’s contest, these two rivals have played each other exactly 200 times. Florida leads the all-time series, 106-94, and has won 13 of the last 15. … Billy Donovan is 21-7 all-time against the Bulldogs, including an 11-2 record in the O’Connell Center. … Starting with a buzzer-beater by Anthony Roberson in 2003, UF has defeated Georgia eight straight times in Gainesville. … The East-leading Gators have reached 10 wins in SEC play for the ninth time in the last 13 years. This is the first time to accomplish the feat since going 13-3 in the 2006-07 conference season. … Following a two-game losing skid that began with the home loss to Florida, the Bulldogs have won 4-of-6 and are 3-0 on the road during that stretch. … Florida is looking for its sixth consecutive SEC victory. That would be the longest run since winning its first 11 league games in 2006-07. … The Gators went 14-of-18 from the foul line in the second half on Sunday against Louisiana State. It was a unique 14-of-18, too. Florida missed the front end of all three 1-and-1 attempts, but finished up the contest making its final eight free throws. … Alex Tyus has picked up his rebounding the last two games (one of which saw Chandler Parsons play injured most of the way and the other saw him out completely). The senior power forward averaged 10 rpg in the victories against Tennessee and LSU. … Vernon Macklin has scored in double figures seven straight games. In the first meeting between these two teams, the senior center made 10-of-15 shots for 23 points to go along with nine rebounds, a steal and an assist. … The Gators had four players score between 18 and 24 points in the first game against Georgia. Those 89 points by Erving Walker (24), Kenny Boynton (24), Macklin (23) and Chandler Parsons (18) was the most by four Gators combined in any game this year. … Erik Murphy was very effective in limited time in the first meeting. Playing four minutes, the sophomore power forward went 3-for-4 from the floor (1-for-1 on three-pointers), scoring seven points and grabbing three rebounds. … Most NBA mock drafts list Georgia’s ridiculously athletic shooting guard/small forward Travis Leslie and fundamentally sound power forward Trey Thompkins as likely first-round selections. … With Parsons missing Sunday’s game at LSU with a deep thigh bruise, Walker is the only Gator player to start every game this season. … Macklin leads the SEC with a .573 shooting percentage. Odd stat for the season: in 180 minutes played, Casey Prather has yet to attempt his first college free throw. … Georgia’s starting five is accounting for 86.2 percent of the team’s points. … In the seven years following the 2003 season, the Bulldogs went a brutal 7-49 in conference road games. However, they are 7-2 away from home this season. … The Gators’ two most recent home games (Saturday night meetings with Kentucky and then Tennessee) are the two most attended contests in O’Connell Center history. … Like Florida (Bradley Beal), Georgia has a McDonald’s All-American shooting guard signee. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a 6-foot-6 prospect from Greenville, Ga. … With 21 Florida already has matched its 2009-10 win total. … Tyus is five starts away from 100 for his career. He is UF’s active leader. … Tyus and Parsons each have 131 career games played, putting them in a tie with Matt Bonner for fifth on UF’s all-time list. Walter Hodge (151) and Dan Werner (141), former teammates of Tyus and Parsons, rank first and tied for second (with Chris Richard), respectively, on the list. Lee Humphrey (136) is fourth. … Macklin is 26 minutes from 1,500 for his UF career. … Barring anything unforeseen, the regular season finale at Vanderbilt on March 5 will be Walker’s 100th career game as a Gator. … Florida freshman guard Scottie Wilbekin is averaging one turnover every 22.65 minutes. … Florida (plus-6.7) and Georgia (plus-4.8) rank first and third in the SEC in rebounding margin. The Gators’ opponent on Saturday, Kentucky, is second at 4.9. Likewise, but in reverse order, Georgia (15.6) and Florida (13.7) are first and third in the league in assists-per-game. Vanderbilt is second at 13.8. … Parsons has 772 career rebounds and is eight away from 200 this year. He is 59 behind Udonis Haslem (831) for 10th place on UF’s career list. … With 816 career points, Boynton has an outside shot at reaching 1,000 in this, just his sophomore season. … Georgia is three rebounds away from reaching 1,000 as a team on the season. … How’s this for consistency? Georgia has scored 881 combined points in the first half this season and 884 in the second. … The Bulldogs don’t have a single player making 50-percent of his shots this year. Leslie (.496) leads the team. … Georgia has had a player foul out nine different times this season, led by bruising senior forward Jeremy Price’s three. Florida has yet to have a player foul out in 2010-11. … The Gators are 5-0 this February and 10-3 over the last two Februarys.
PAST EXAMS AND GATOR(GR)ADES
Game 1: Florida 77, UNC Wilmington 60. Gator Player of the Game: Scottie Wilbekin (3 points, 5 assists, 4 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Chad Tomko (15 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B– . Record: 1-0.
Game 2: Ohio State 93, Florida 75. Gator Player of the Game: Vernon Macklin (12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block); Opposing Players of the Game: David Lighty (26 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal) and Jared Sullinger (26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C. Record: 1-1.
Game 3: Florida 105, North Carolina A&T 55. Gator Player of the Game: Will Yeguete (7 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Thomas Coleman (8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A– . Record: 2-1.
Game 4: Florida 61, Morehead State 55. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Kenneth Faried (20 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocked shots. Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C– . Record: 3-1.
Game 5: Florida 79, Florida Atlantic 63. Gator Players of the Game: Alex Tyus (19 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist) and Kenny Boynton (21 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound); Opposing Player of the Game: Greg Gantt (17 points, 2 assists, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B-. Record: 4-1.
Game 6: Florida 55, Florida State 51. Gator Player of the Game: Erik Murphy (10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 blocked shot); Opposing Player of the Game: Michael Snaer (15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 5-1.
Game 7: Central Florida 57, Florida 54. Gator Player of the Game: Vernon Macklin (20 points on 10-of-11 shooting, 8 rebounds); Opposing Player of the Game: Marcus Jordan (18 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C-. Record: 5-2.
Game 8: Florida 67, American 48. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Troy Brewer (17 points, 2 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 6-2.
Game 9: Florida 65, Kent State 52. Gator Players of the Game: Alex Tyus (20 points on 10-of-15 shooting, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist) and Vernon Macklin (19 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 8 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 1 steal, 1 assist); Opposing Player of the Game: Carlton Guyton (14 points, 4-of-6 on three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 3 assists). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 7-2.
Game 10: Florida 57, Kansas State 44. Gator Players of the Game: Kenny Boynton (15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, 1 assist, helped limit Pullen to 6-of-17 shooting); Opposing Player of the Game: Jacob Pullen (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 8-2.
Game 11: Jacksonville 71, Florida 68 (OT). Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (game-high 21 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound); Opposing Player of the Game: Keith McDougald (team-high 18 points – 15 in the second half/overtime, 2 steals, 1 rebound). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D+. Record: 8-3.
Game 12: Florida 66, Radford 55. Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (game-high 20 points, including 5-of-7 on 3s, 3 assists, 2 steals); Opposing Player of the Game: Johnathan Edwards (team-high 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C-. Record: 9-3.
Game 13: Florida 71, Xavier 67. Gator Player of the Game: Kenny Boynton (16 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal); Opposing Player of the Game: Tu Holloway (game-high 26 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 10-3.
Game 14: Florida 84, Rhode Island 59. Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (18 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 blocked shot); Opposing Player of the Game: Delroy James (game-high 23 points, 6 rebounds). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 11-3.
Game 15: Florida 77, Mississippi 71. Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (20 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, becomes 47th Gator to record 1,000 career points); Opposing Player of the Game: Chris Warren (20 points, 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 rebounds, 1 blocked shot). Buddy’s Gator(Gr)ade: B+. Record: 12-3 (1-0 in the SEC).
Game 16: Florida 81, Tennessee 75 (OT). Gator Player of the Game: Alex Tyus (18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 1 steal); Opposing Players of the Game: Cameron Tatum (game-high 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal) and Tobias Harris (18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 13-3 (2-0).
Game 17: South Carolina 72, Florida 69 Gator Player of the Game: Patric Young (career-high 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal, 2-for-2 FTs in 19 minutes); Opposing Player of the Game: Bruce Ellington (game-high 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4-for-4 on FTs, 1 turnover in 30 minutes). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D+. Record: 13-4 (2-1).
Game 18: Florida 45, Auburn 40 Gator Player of the Game: No award given; Opposing Player of the Game: Earnest Ross (11 points, 3-of-4 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, game-high 3 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: D. Record: 14-4 (3-1).
Game 19: Florida 75, Arkansas 43 Gator Players of the Game: Kenny Boynton (20 points, 4-of-7 three-pointers, 4 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, held Razorbacks’ leading scorer, Rotnei Clark, shotless) and Chandler Parsons (career-high 15 rebounds, 5 points, game-high 5 assists); Opposing Player of the Game: Delvon Johnson (12 points, team-high 7 rebounds, 1 blocked shot). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 15-4 (4-1).
Game 20: Florida 104, Georgia 91 (2 OT) Gator Players of the Game: Vernon Macklin (career-high 23 points, 10-of-15 from floor, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal), Kenny Boynton (game-high 24 points, 12-of-12 FTs, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals) and Erving Walker (game-high 24 points, game-tying 3 at end of first OT, 5 assists, 4 rebounds); Opposing Player of the Game: Trey Thompkins (20 points, game-high 13 rebounds, game-high 3 blocked shots). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 16-4 (5-1).
Game 21: Mississippi State 71, Florida 64 Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (team-high 18 points, 5 rebounds, team-high 4 assists, 2 turnovers); Opposing Player of the Game: Dee Bost (game-high 24 points, game-high 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 turnover). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C. Record: 16-5 (5-2).
Game 22: Florida 65, Vanderbilt 61 (OT) Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (team-high 18 points, game-high 11 rebounds with 4 offensive, 3 steals, 2 assists, 1 turnover in 39 minutes); Opposing Player of the Game: John Jenkins (game-high 22 points, 6 rebounds 1 steal, 1 turnover in 42 minutes). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B. Record: 17-5 (6-2).
Game 23: Florida 70, Kentucky 68 Gator Player of the Game: Chandler Parsons (team-high 17 points, game-high 12 rebounds with 3 offensive, 5 assists, 1 blocked shot, no turnovers in 37 minutes); Opposing Player of the Game: Brandon Knight (game-high 24 points, 4-of-5 three-pointers, 6-for-6 FTs, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 blocked shot, 4 turnovers in 36 minutes). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A. Record: 18-5 (7-2).
Game 24: Florida 79, South Carolina 60 Gator Players of the Game: Chandler Parsons (14 points, game-high 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal) and Erving Walker (season- and game-high 25 points on just 9 shots – making seven, including 4-of-5 three-pointers, 3 assists, 2 steals, just 1 turnover in 36 minutes) ; Opposing Player of the Game: Bruce Ellington (team-high 14 points, 5 rebounds, co-team-high 3 assists, co-team-high 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: A-. Record: 19-5 (8-2).
Game 25: Florida 61, Tennessee 60 Gator Players of the Game: Erving Walker (team-high 16 points – including 9-for-9 from the foul line, 3 assists, 1 rebound) and Alex Tyus (10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals) ; Opposing Player of the Game: Scotty Hopson (game-high 22 points, 3-of-3 on three-pointers, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: B. Record: 20-5 (9-2).
Game 26: Florida 68, LSU 61 Gator Player of the Game: Erving Walker (co-team-high 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal); Opposing Player of the Game: Ralston Turner (game-high 18 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 rebound). Patton’s Gator(Gr)ade: C+. Record: 21-5 (10-2).