Florida Gators
Northwood
Men's Hoops Defeat Northwood, 70-41, in Exhibition Play
Friday, November 3, 2006 | Men's Basketball
The University of Florida men's basketball team kicked off the 2006-07 season with a 70-41 exhibition victory over Northwood Thursday evening at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. With the win, the Gators improved their all-time exhibition record to 50-13-1, and 25-2-1 under head coach Billy Donovan.
Junior forward Al Horford (Puerto Plata, D.R.) led the Gators' scoring attack with 11 points on a 4-for-5 field goal effort. Junior guard Taurean Green (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and freshman forward Mareese Speights (St. Petersburg, Fla.) each chipped in nine points, with Speights also hauling in a game-high eight rebounds.
Horford and Green led both teams with four assists each, and were 3-for-3 and 2-for-2, respectively, from the charity stripe.
Florida controlled the game from the onset, as it built an early 22-10 lead during the first 10 minutes, despite Northwood's lone two-point lead of the game, 4-2, at the 17:43 mark. The Orange and Blue continued to dominate the first half as they closed with a 16-5 run en-route to a 38-17 halftime lead, while capitalizing on 18 Seahawks turnovers and scoring as many points.
Following the break, Florida continued to hold off Northwood with a 15-10 run throughout the first nine minutes before notching a game-high 34-point lead with 1:52 remaining in the game. Eleven Gators saw action in the second half, with nine players contributing to the 32-point half.
Northwood's 41 points were the fewest allowed ever by a Florida team in exhibition play.
UF finished the contest with a 46.7 field goal percentage, making 28 of 60 shots from the field. Florida also shot 73.3 percent from the free throw line for 11 points, and collected 24 points off 28 Northwood turnovers. The Gators' defense held the Seahawks to 32.0 percent shooting from the field. Northwood was paced offensively by Baree Ward, who led all scorers with a game-high 14 points,
The Gators will conclude exhibition action Sunday, Nov. 5, with a 3:30 p.m. tip-off against Barry at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
-UF-
