Harry Fodder: Next-Day Takeaway (Vanderbilt)

HARRY FODDER

Entered: Feb. 24, 2016

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Three follow-up observations from Florida's home loss Tuesday night against Vanderbilt that dropped the Gators to 17-11 overall for the season and 8-7 in Southeastern Conference play.

1) Well before the first ball tipped off the 2015-16 college football season, Vanderbilt was a popular pick not only to challenge Kentucky for the Southeastern Conference title, but possibly win it. The Commodores, with nearly their entire team back (including a pair of future NBA players), finished second to the Wildcats in the preseason poll at SEC Media Days in Charlotte. On Tuesday, we saw why. For whatever reason, Vandy has been an up-and-down bunch this season, opening league play with three losses, later dropping double-digit games at Kentucky and Texas, and this month crushing Texas A&M, then losing to Ole Miss and Mississippi State over the next four games. Starting this week, the overwhelming majority of NCAA Tournament bracket projections had the Commodores out. As such, they played like a team playing for its postseason lives Tuesday. The Gators did not. Watching Vanderbilt filet Florida's defense for 58 percent from the floor and 10-for-20 from the arc on the way to 87 points (the most by a UF opponent in five years), the Commodores looked like the best team in the conference -- and their future pros, center Damian Jones and Wade Baldwin IV, played like future pros. Vandy threw the first punch and looked utterly confident the entire game. The Gators looked anything but, seemingly playing on their heels throughout the night.

2) This is KeVaughn Allen's stat line for the last two games: 12 points, 3-for-15 from the floor, 0-for-6 from the 3-point line, three rebounds, four assists in 64 minutes of action. When a team is as offensively challenged as the Gators, removing their No. 2 scorer and only guy on the roster who can go get his own shot is going to make for a tough game. Is it any wonder UF has lost its last two straight? It's something of a surprise the Gators managed to score 74 against Vanderbilt with Allen missing all seven of his shots and finishing with just three free throws. And let's not forget top scorer Dorian Finney-Smith was held to seven points on just 1-for-7 overall, 1-for-5 from deep. Finney-Smith, though, battled for 11 rebounds. Chalk up more evidence (as if we need it) to this team's inconsistency on the offensive end. UF has three regular-season games left. Allen needs to impact the game and needs to do it in the scoring column. That will certianly help free up some things inside, both for post players and drives to the basket.

3) Anyone else seen their fill of replays of that 80-footer that already is being mentioned as the favorite for -- get this -- ESPN "Play of the Year?" Guarantee Schuyler Rimmer has. Guarantee he tries to dunk the ball next time, too.

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Harry Fodder: Next-Day Takeaway (Vanderbilt)

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KeVaughn Allen

Dorian Finney-Smith

Schuyler Rimmer

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Harry Fodder: Next-Day Takeaway (Vanderbilt)

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KeVaughn Allen

Dorian Finney-Smith

Schuyler Rimmer

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