Florida Gators
North Dakota State
Men's Basketball Downs North Dakota State in Season-Opener, 75-65
Saturday, November 10, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Gainesville, Fla. - Freshman Nick Calathes (Winter Park, Fla.) scored 21 points, Walter Hodge (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) added 15 and the two-time defending national champion Florida men's basketball team defeated North Dakota State, 75-65, Friday to open the Blue Ribbon Challenge in the season opener.
The victory at the O' Connell Center marked Florida's 20th-consecutive win at home, tying the school record.
Playing its first game with its young and overhauled lineup, Florida got clutch shots all night from Calathes and some big ones down the stretch from Hodge and sophomore center Marreese Speights (St. Petersburg, Fla.).
Hodge had two driving layups in the closing minutes that prevented the Bison from making a comeback. Speights ended the NDSU threat with an emphatic dunk with 47 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
Speights finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
UF proved to be accurate marksmen from beyond the arc, connecting on 6 of 10 three-point attempts. Freshmen Adam Allen (Milton, Fla.) and Chandler Parsons (Winter Park, Fla.) each contributed two treys while combining for 13 of Florida's 17 points off the bench.
The Gators had the game's largest advantage with an 18-point cushion early in the second half but North Dakota State chipped away with a veteran lineup.
The Bison cut it to 69-63 with 2:27 remaining, but missed several 3-pointers in the final minutes.
Mike Nelson led North Dakota State with 17 points and six assists. Brett Winkelman added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Ben Woodside also had 16 points, and Michael Tveidt chipped in 12. The Bison quartet combined for 61 of the team's 65 points.
The Gators used an up-tempo offense and a pressing defense to take an early lead.
Florida was up 39-25 at halftime, getting 10 points from Calathes before the intermission. He made three of the team's first four shots after the break and helped Florida build the big lead. He came up big again later, driving the lane and hitting consecutive baskets to turn an eight-point game into a double-digit lead.
Florida takes to the home court again Sunday as it plays host to Tennessee Tech at 3 p.m. in another Blue Ribbon Challenge contest.
