At the Buzzer: Florida 83, Texas A&M 66 (Instant Breakdown)
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
The Gators crushed the Aggies with an astonishing display of 3-point shooting.
FLORIDA 83, No. 11 TEXAS A&M 66
WHAT HAPPENED: The UF team that started the season sizzling from the 3-point line showed up Tuesday night up in College Station, Texas, as the Gators dismantled the 11th-ranked Aggies with deadly long-distance shooting on the way to a huge win in their first road Southeastern Conference game of the season. Florida put four players in double figures, led by forwards Egor Koulechov's 19 points and Keith Stone's career-high 18, but it was that deadly marksmanship from the deep that brought gasps from the home crowd at Reed Arena. UF went 17-for-28 from the arc (60.7 percent) on the way to 51.6 percent overall for the game against a foe that came in ranked No. 4 nationally in field-goal defense (36.7 percent) and No. 3 at defending the 3 (27.0 percent). Koulechov, the grad-transfer, was 5-for-6 from deep. Stone, the third-year sophomore, was 4-for-6. Senior point guard Chris Chiozza had 12 points, four rebounds, nine assists and four steals, while junior guard Jalen Hudson threw in 11 more. Junior center Kevarrius Hayes, facing A&M's giant front court, had eight points, seven rebounds, five blocked shots and four assists.
WHAT IT MEANS: A win not many would have counted on, plus a second win in as many tries in Southeastern Conference play. The Gators, on paper, were at a significant disadvantage in their front court matchup with the Aggies, but were able to neutralize it with that astounding shooting from distance. That's an encouraging sign, even with A&M's depleted backcourt, and especially on the road.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stone had not had a game like this one this season. He had a couple last year (15 points against Miami; 17 in an overtime win against Georgia), but when he can step out from the "4" position and drop 3-pointers, it changes everything about how opponents have to defend the Gators. Bigs have to go out and get him, thus opening the lane for Chiozza. It was just the sixth time Stone hit double figures in his career.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: Scrolling down the box score, there were plenty of options, as far as the Florida offense -- but one truly jumped out. How about 25 assists on 33 field-goals? That's ball movement. Obviously, teams have to make shots to tally assists, but four UF players had at least four assists.
STAGGERING STATISTIC II: Florida shot -- get this -- one free throw during the game. The Gators missed it, but who cares?
UP NEXT: The Gators (10-4, 2-0) are back on the road Saturday to face much-improved Missouri (9-3, 0-0). The Tigers, who check in at No. 23 in the Ratings Percentage Index, open their SEC season Wednesday night at South Carolina.
