Happy Holiday: Allen, UF Hold Off Seton Hall

Thursday, November 24

Orlando, FL

8:30 PM

Florida Gators

Seton Hall

Sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen drives hard for a huge basket against Seton Hall's Khadeen Carrington in the final minute of Thursday night's 81-76 win over the Pirates. (Photo: Lizzy Hart/For UAA Communications)

Happy Holiday: Allen, UF Hold Off Seton Hall

Friday, November 25, 2016 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Box Score Photo Gallery by Tim Casey & Lizzy Hart

Sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen scored 21 points to lead the Gators past the Pirates in opening-round action Thursday night of the AdvoCare Invitational at ESPN's Wide World of Sports.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In the postgame locker room late Thursday night, Florida coach Mike White stared down KeVaughn Allen.

"What have you been waiting for?" White asked.

Allen, as is often the case, just laughed and said little. He'd left the talking that mattered on the floor at HP Fieldhouse a few minutes earlier.

The sophomore shooting guard continued his break from a slow start to open the season. Allen scored 21 points, making a key steal and subsequent drive for a clutch basket in the final minute to help the Gators stave off Seton Hall for an 81-76 victory in opening-round action of the AdvoCare Invitational Tournament at ESPN's Wide World of Sports. Backup forward Canyon Barry continued to be the UF spark off the bench with 20 points and six rebounds, as the Gators opened a season with five straight wins for the first time since 2012 and did it by beating a rugged, hardnosed bunch from the Big East Conference who returned four starters from a team that won its league tournament last March by upsetting eventual NCAA champion Villanova.

For its biggest win of the young season, Florida (5-0) was rewarded with a winner's bracket's date against 11th-ranked Gonzaga (4-0), which easily handled Quinnipiac in its first-round game. The Gators and Bulldogs will tip off Friday night around 9:30, with the winner advancing to the tourney title game Sunday against either Miami (4-0) or Stanford (5-0), who meet in the other Friday semifinal.

"This gives us confidence," junior backup guard Chris Chiozza said after joining Barry in a reserve role and pitching in 14 points, including a pair of 3-point shots. "Beating a high-major team like that, especially on a neutral site, that's going to help us down the road and help us go on the road in our conference to play tough teams; and when we face adversity, to make plays down the stretch."

Sophomore guard Chris Chiozza attacks the basket in the second half. (Photo: Lizzy Hart/For UAA Communications)

The Pirates (3-1) got a game-high 28 points from point guard Khadeen Carrington and did a number on the Gators in and around the paint, outscoring UF inside 34-24 and winning the battle of the boards 40-38. Yet, yielding nearly 56 percent in the first half and facing a six-point lead early in the second half, the Gators settled down and clamped down, holding the Hall to just 12-for-36 (33 percent) after intermission and closing the game out by sinking 21 of 29 free throws (72.4 percent).

And they had to do it with forward Devin Robinson, the team's only player to reach double-figure scoring the first four games, saddled with foul trouble from basically the game's start. Robinson, who came in averaging 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds, picked up his second foul four minutes into the game and his third less than three minutes into the second half. He finished with just five points and three rebounds before fouling out in only 11 minutes.

Fouls, in fact, were a big issue in the game for both teams. Officials called 51 of them (leading to 54 free throws) with four players fouling out (three Gators) and another three with at least four fouls.

"We're an aggressive team on defense," Allen said. "So it was hard to get into our man and play defense the way we like to play."

"To beat a team and a program of this caliber with Devin sitting over by us — as well as he's played — I think speaks to our potential," White said. "We're got a ways to go. Seton hall made a bunch of mistakes tonight and we made a bunch of mistakes tonight. That's college basketball in November. Was it a good win? Yes. But right now, it's more about us continuing to improve on a daily basis."

With Robinson out, other guys had to inject themselves into the game. Center John Egbunu, despite going just 2-for-8 from the floor, had eight points and 10 rebounds, while forward Justin Leon had seven points and seven rebounds. And Barry was Barry, just like his previous few outings, hitting six of his 13 shots, a couple 3s, dishing two assists and — maybe as important as anything — grabbing some big rebounds.

"Canyon has been great all year. He's going to give the same thing every night," Chiozza said. "He's going to get to the hole, knock down a couple shots, get some free throws — but he played big on the defensive end tonight too, especially with his rebounds. That's been a main focus. We've been telling him to go get rebounds and he did that."

This time last week, the Gators were waiting for Allen to break out of his early season funk. After hitting just five of his first 20 shots through two games, Allen has now gone 18-for-37 overall the last three games (48.6 percent) and 7-for-15 from the arc (46.6 percent).

The Gators trailed by one at intermission, 40-39, and three and half minutes into the second half had two missed field-goal attempts and four turnovers to show for their first six possessions, as the Pirates, with Carrington scoring five straight to start the period, opened a six-point lead, 45-39, the largest deficit for UF this season

Then Allen buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

The shot triggered a 13-2 spurt for the Gators, including 10 straight at one point. Barry had six and Chiozza a big steal, drive and old-fashion 3-point play along the way.

Twice over the next five minutes Seton Hall got close. Each time UF took the lead back. Allen seemed to have a hand in it.

"He got it going," Pirates coach Kevin Willard said. "He made some tough shots, especially going to his right."

None bigger than in the final minute.

A 3-point play from Carrington closed UF's lead to just 73-71 with 1:56 remaining. On the ensuing possession, Leon missed a shot in close and the Pirates rebounded. As they attempted to work the ball up court, Allen was all over guard Madison Jones. The ball popped free and Allen plucked it.

In the half court, Allen had the ball at the top of the key and attacked the right side of the lane for a terrific running bank shot to make it a four-point game at 75-71 with 57 seconds left.

"I just went up and trusted I was going to make it," Allen said.

Senior swingman Canyon Barry got two of his 20 points on a reverse layup in the second half. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)

The lead was six with 29 seconds to go when Pirates backup guard Myles Powell (16 points) was fouled attempting a 3-pointer by Chiozza. Powell made the first two, but missed the third. Barry rebounded, made one of two at the other end and the Gators held on.

"I thought we showed some toughness," White said.

Now, they'll need to show some more. And Allen, well, he needs to keep showing up; preferrably like Thursday night.

"He was different [this game]," White said. "That's the KeVaughn we all know and love."