Matt Bonner scored a career-high 21 points to pace five players in double figures as the 10th-ranked Florida Gators defeated Florida Atlantic 100- 42 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville Monday night.
Matt Bonner scored a career-high 21 points to pace five players in double figures as the 10th-ranked Florida Gators defeated Florida Atlantic 100- 42 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville Monday night.
Brent Wright, Teddy Dupay and Udonis Haslem each scored 17 points, while Justin Hamilton chipped in with 12 points in the Gators' 10th straight home opening victory.
Dupay scored nine quick points to help the Gators bolt to a 20-4 advantage. The lead swelled to 40 points at the half. Dupay hit a pair of threes in the second half as the Gators increased the lead to 50, 69-19.
"I felt like our guys came out with alot of emotion and energy," said Florida head coach Billy Donovan. "I thought we played unselfishly. It was good to see us get off to a good start".
Donovan praised the play of Bonner. "Maybe more so than anyone I've ever coached, he's probably one of
the better scorers I've ever seen, because he can do it in a variety of different ways." Bonner also chipped in with 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Orien Green, of Gainesville, scored the first two points of his Gator career on a back door dunk late in the second half to give Florida a 98-42 lead.
The Gators improved to 2-0 with the win. Florida will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 2, when they host the DePaul Blue Demons. Tip off is set for 12 p.m. eastern.
