Florida Gators
Birmingham (England)
Gator Basketball Opens Exhibition Season with Win
Friday, November 2, 2001 | Men's Basketball
The Florida basketball team opened its exhibition season with a 108-85 win over the Birmingham Bullets Thursday night at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. The Gators have never lost a pre-season exhibition game under Billy Donovan. Brett Nelson tied a career high with 26 points, Udonis Haslem scored 20 while freshman David Lee scored 17 points off the bench. A total of five UF players scored in double figures, including four of five starters. The Gators led by only eight at halftime, but pulled away in the second half with their press and rebounding.
"This was a good opportunity for us in that we got to play a game before we play Temple (Nov. 8 in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden) a week from today," Donovan said following the game. "Offensively we played very unselfishly. For this time of year, you generally see very selfish play.
"I thought we got exposed (defensively) a little bit in the first half, but we defended the three-point line well in the second half."
UF never trailed in the game and got out early on the British Basketball League team, also playing in its first game of a month-long exhibition tour of the southeastern United States. The Gators started the game on a 12-0 run on five of seven shooting and never looked back. Nelson scored 11 points in the first three minutes, making three of four three-pointers early. As a team, Florida made seven of its first 10 three-point shots.
Brimingham's 45 points at the half were the second-most scored on the Gators in a half of an exhibition game. Haslem was five for nine and had eight rebounds in the opening half and Nelson was six of nine. Matt Bonner scored seven in only 11 minutes of court time in the opening half.
The Gators came out with stepped-up defense in the second half, forcing 13 Bullets turnovers in the final 20 minutes. In a 40-second span, Lee scored six points, which were a direct result of the play of fellow freshman James White. White forced two turnovers in the run and assisted on one of Lee's three dunks on the night. UF out-rebounded Birmingham 26-12 in the second half and 53-37 in the game. As a team, Florida dished out 24 assists to Birmingham's 15. Both White an Orien Greene had five dimes a piece.
Florida returns to action against Temple in the opening round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York City on Nov. 8. The Gators will play either Maryland or Arizona in the second day of the tournament before returning home to play Florida State on Nov. 16.
