Gators Ready to Turn Page on Tennessee, Gear Up for Georgia with "Spirited" Practice
Monday, January 9, 2012 | Men's Basketball
By Chris Harry
GatorZone Contributing Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Billy Donovan turned to a visitor who entered the gym Sunday during a very -- how shall we put this? -- spirited practice not 24 hours after a dismal showing in a loss at Tennessee.
“Welcome to the bloodbath,” the Florida coach said.
UF, ranked 13th in the nation, opened its Southeastern Conference season with a thud, sleepwalking through a 67-56 nationally televised defeat at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Gators, who entered the game leading the nation in scoring and three-pointers, shot just 35.7 percent from the floor, 31.8 percent from the arc and had 15 turnovers to just 10 assists in their lowest-scoring game of the season.
Florida (12-4, 0-1) was stagnant in the halfcourt offense, but more than that, Donovan said, the Gators were just flat outplayed by a Volunteers squad that came in with a 7-7 record and an RPI of 218.
“I just thought a lot of times we took the path of least resistance. Instead of working harder in certain situations, we kind of settled,” Donovan said. “It's like our guy comes off a screen and instead of catching it at the 3-point line and battling a little bit to get it [there], “I'll just catch it at 25 feet, instead.” And [center] Patric Young, instead of really ducking in, pushing his way in there to about two feet from the basket, 'Nah, I'll catch it a little outside of the block.' And their guys driving down the lane and maybe instead of stepping in and trying to take a charge, 'Nah, maybe I'll give it a little reach and try to tip it.' Those kinds of things.”
And that's why the team was at in film session by 10 a.m., followed by one of the most intense, physical and emotional practice sessions of the season (plus weight-lifting afterward).
Oh, and the Gators were invited back for second Sunday practice at 4 p.m.
Florida, which figures to plummet in the polls this week, next faces Georgia (9-6, 0-1) in the SEC home opener Tuesday night at the O'Connell Center.
“I don't think you ever like admitting this because as a coach you're responsible for getting your team prepared and ready to play ... but [Tennessee] played harder than we did,” Donovan said. “For me, as a coach, and hopefully for our team, that's a hard pill to swallow.”
Meanwhile, the status of sophomore guard Casey Prather, who left Saturday's game in Knoxville with a sprained right ankle, remains in doubt. Prather did not practice Sunday and if he's sidelined Monday he won't play against the Bulldogs.
