Getting Closer: Better Chemistry Has Gators in Really Good Place

Tuesday, January 10

Tuscaloosa, AL

9 PM

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Getting Closer: Better Chemistry Has Gators in Really Good Place

Tuesday, January 10, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Mike White's second UF team has grown closer and become more focused on team goals vs. indivdual ones.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Mike White stood in front of a jubilant Florida locker room Saturday night, his smile mirroring the ones grinning back at him. The Gators had just taken down Tennessee, despite a sluggish first-half, a bunch of early turnovers and foul trouble that limited UF's best post players to negligible impact on the game. Good thing shooting guard KeVaughn Allen stayed red hot and forward Justin Leon had the best game of his Division-I career.

But neither of those guys were the first player White mentioned.

"If I had a game ball to give out, I'd give it to you," White said.

He motioned to walk-on center Schuyler Rimmer, who scored three points and grabbed three rebound, clogged the lane, chased balls, set screens and to helped hold off the Volunteers in 16 invaluable minutes.

That's when White bent over, looking for something/anything, picked up a stray water bottle and tossed the metaphorical trinket Rimmer's way. And that's when senior point guard Kasey Hill hopped to his feet to lead a standing ovation, with center John Egbunu and Devin Robinson following suit as the rest of the Gators joyfully joined in. Egbunu (2 points, no rebounds, 4 fouls in only six minutes) and Robinson (4 points on 2-for-7 shooting and 4 turnovers in 14 minutes) enthusiastically bounced up and down on Rimmer's behalf.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Exactech Arena, Volunteers coach Rick Barnes was at the media podium, lamenting his club's 19 turnovers when a question about the Gators was tossed his way.

"They are a much different team than they were a year ago," Barnes said. "You feel it with their chemistry probably more than anything."

If Barnes could sense it, imagine what's going on behind the scenes with the Gators. On second thought, don't bother imagining. Just ask.

"We had a lot of ego issues last year. It opened a lot of guys' eyes, including mine," Robinson said. "I've realized that if we're going to be successful this year, it can't be about me. Guys have good games and bad games. I'm happy my teammates were able to come out and pick me up and get us a win."

Robinson had a tough game defensively and was yanked three minutes into the second half. As he walked to the bench, the frustration was apparent on his face, yet Robinson went down the line giving every teammate a high-five. He then took a seat and for basically the rest of the game — Robinson only played four minutes after halftime — was one of the biggest cheerleaders on the UF sidelines.

"I was proud of him," Coach Mike White said.

Same with Egbunu, who hasn't been able to get back in a rhythm since the hamstring injury he suffered last month. Same with Kevarrius Hayes, who like Egbunu kept finding whistles that kept him off the floor. Same with freshman guard Eric Hester, who has yet to play a minute in SEC play, but has become one of the most vocal and supportive players on the UF sidelines.

This is a team that is coming together, having cleared — for now — the difficult hurdle of "getting out of themselves," as the saying goes.

John Egbunu, Devin Robinson, Eric Hester and Chris Chiozza cheer on their teammates from the sidelines during Saturday's win over Tennessee.

[Read senior writer Chris Harry's 'Pregame Stuff' preview here]

Florida (12-3, 3-0), winner of five straight, is ranked 23rd in the country and Tuesday night faces Alabama (9-6, 2-0) at Coleman Coliseum, where one of the two will remain unbeaten in Southeastern Conference play. The Gators are not a great team, far from it, but their willingness to play like a team has helped carry them through a challenging (and unique) first couple months, played mostly without the comforts of a home floor.

"I think we're just more bought into winning this year, that's the easiest way to explain it," Hill said. "Nobody cares how they play individually, and I think that's what was holding us back the last few years."

Don't mistake these remarks as indictments of, say, Dorian Finney-Smith, who was UF's best player the last two seasons and a great teammate. This is more of a coming-of-age for current players who were preoccupied, even motivated, by other things in the past.

"It sounds simple, but it's a hard thing to overcome," Hill said. "You have your parents, the fans, your [previous] coaches telling you all this stuff about what you have to do to get to the next level. Instead, you just have to realize that winning as a team is one of those things that can help you get to that level. And it's more fun. We're enjoying this, right now."

Both Devin Robinson (left) and Kasey Hill (right) have taken big steps as teammates this season.

Given the mental place the Gators are in, it's somewhat fitting their next opponent are the Crimson Tide, a team that has no player averaging in double-figures, yet nine averaging at least 5.3 points a game. Bama gets it done with sterling effort on the glass — No. 1 in the SEC in both rebounding margin (plus-6.4) and opponents rebounds (32.7 per game)— and defense. The Tide allows just 61.1 points per game (2nd in SEC) and defends at a 39.5-percent clip (3rd).

UF might have more star power and scoring power, led by Allen, the reigning SEC Player of the Week, but Bama coach Avery Johnson is noted for his ability to lock down an opponent's most dangerous scorer. If that happens Tuesday, someone other than Allen will have to step up.

Like Leon's career-high 19 last game. Or reserve forward Canyon Barry's UF-high 20 against Ole Miss the game before.

"The next night may be my night. You never know," Robinson said. "Last year, I was thinking too much about the future, instead of worrying about the next day, the next practice, the next game, and just trying to be a better person and teammate. If I can be a better teammate, maybe someone else will see that and they'll be a better teammate, and so on."

A third of the way through the season — and just three games into league play — this is where the Gators are right now. It's also where White would like to stay.

"I think we've grown," White said. "We're trying to rebuild the culture here to at least some semblance of the unbelievable culture that's been here for 20 years. I credit our guys for growing in that regard. They've showed more fight and feistiness and mental resolve."