Florida Gators
Embry Riddle (Exh.)
Men's Basketball Wins Exhibition Over Embry-Riddle, 86-48
Wednesday, November 2, 2005 | Men's Basketball
In its 2005-06 season debut, the Florida men's basketball team handed Embry-Riddle an 86-48 exhibition defeat at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on Tuesday night. The Gators jumped out to a 53-17 halftime lead and had a 48-point advantage at one point in improving their all-time exhibition record to 46-13-1.
The Orange and Blue were led by sophomore forward Joakim Noah (New York, N.Y.), who finished the contest with a double-double in a 21-point, 10-rebound effort. Sophomore center Al Horford (Puerto Plata, D.R.) also posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and contributed five blocks against the Eagles.
Junior guard Lee Humphrey (Maryville, Tenn.) chipped in with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the three-point arc, as well as a team-high three steals. Sophomore guard Taurean Green (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) matched Humphrey's steal total in the game and dished out a game-high six assists. Junior Chris Richard (Lakeland, Fla.) hauled down a game-high 11 boards and was 2-for-2 from the field on his way to five points.
Florida controlled the game from the outset, as it built an early 25-10 lead with a 10-point run during the first 10 minutes of the game. The trend continued for the Gators, as a 30-4 blitz increased the margin to 45-14 en route to a 36-point halftime cushion.
Following the break, the two teams matched nearly point for point, as the Gators finished with a 33-31 second-half edge over the Eagles. UF completed the contest with a 55 percent field-goal percentage, and was 10-for-26 from three-point range for 38.5 percent. Florida also finished the game with 25 second-chance points, compared to just six for Embry-Riddle. The Eagles were paced offensively by Michael Pyle, who scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Billy Donovan's club held a 50-31 rebounding advantage.
The Gators will play their final exhibition contest on Friday night, when West Florida visits for a 7 p.m. tipoff. UF hosts St. Peter's College in its season opener on Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the opening round of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic.
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