Florida Gators
Samford
Men's Basketball Opens Season With 79-54 Win Over Samford
Saturday, November 11, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Four players scored in double figures and the University of Florida men's basketball team shot 58.5 percent from the field as the top-ranked Gators (1-0, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) opened the 2006-07 season with a 79-54 over Samford on Friday at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
The teams traded baskets during the game's early stages, but a Samford turnover less than four minutes into the game sparked a 13-0 Florida run that gave the Gators an 18-5 lead with little under five minutes in the books. Junior guard Taurean Green (Ft, Lauderdale, Fla.) connected on three three-point field goals during the spurt, which coincided with the Gators making their first seven shots of the game.
Florida was 15-of-26 (57.7 percent) from the field in the opening frame, including a 5-of-10 clip from beyond the arc. Green nailed each of his four three-point attempts in the half, and scored 13 of his 15 points before the break. The Gators blocked four shots and tallied four steals, while limiting Samford to 37.5 percent shooting, in the first half en route to a 39-23 halftime lead.
Junior forward Corey Brewer (Portland, Tenn.) kept the momentum rolling in UF's favor at the outset of the second half, pouring in four quick points on a layup and a dunk. Junior center Al Horford (Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic) hit a jumper in the lane at the 12:00 mark, capping a 16-7 Florida run to open the second half and push the lead to 55-31. The Gators' advantage grew to as large as 33 points when freshman forward Jonathan Mitchell (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.) sunk a layup to make the score 73-40 with just over four minutes to play.
Junior forward Joakim Noah (New York, N.Y.) posted 11 points and tied his career high with 15 rebounds, marking the eighth double-double of his career. Brewer led all scorers with 19 points, and Horford and Green both poured in 15 to round out the quartet of Gators in double figures. Noah dished out a game-high six assists, while he and Horford both swatted four shots.
Joe Ross Merritt paced the Bulldogs with 17 points, while Randall Gulina was close behind with 16. Travis Peterson and Curtis West both pulled in five rebounds to lead Samford on the boards, and Jerry West handed out five assists.
Florida has now won 16-consecutive season openers, including all 11 under head coach Billy Donovan. The Gators will be in action again on Tuesday, Nov. 14, when they take on North Florida at the O'Connell Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. EST.
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