Gators head coach Mike White is ready to see his team's response in round two after a first-round win on Thursday. (Photo: Kelly Streeter/UAA Communications)
Gators Notes: Second-round mindset, home vibes, video & more
Friday, March 17, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Scott Carter
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The Gators seek to advance to the Sweet 16 with a matchup against defensive-minded Virginia tonight at Amway Center.
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
ORLANDO – The Gators got their groove back. Their goal now is to stay on the dance floor as long as they can.
Florida entered the NCAA Tournament on a two-game losing streak and losers of three of four overall. It was a hard fall after a season-high nine-game win streak.
In Thursday's first-round victory over East Tennessee State, the No. 4-seed Gators (25-8) rediscovered how to win to provide head coach Mike White his first career NCAA Tournament victory and the program's first in three years. The Gators enter tonight's matchup against No. 5-seed Virginia (23-10) with a renewed outlook.
"Having come in here in sort of a slump, having come in here having lost two straight, very, very different feel,'' White said. "We were coming into the first-round game just searching for a win, period. I feel like our guys have regained a little bit of confidence."
A tour of Florida's locker room offered a similar view.
Senior Canyon Barry had never played in the NCAA Tournament prior to the ETSU victory. While Barry (7 points in 16 minutes) didn't have his best game, his confidence never waned prior to Florida blowing the game open in the second half to run away with an 80-65 victory.
"There was never any panic,'' Barry said.
"Getting that first game out of the way and being able to win it felt great,'' junior guard Chris Chiozza said.
The Gators hit 6 of 12 3-pointers in the second half after hitting only 1 of 10 in the first half, and defensively, limited the Buccaneers to 33.3 percent shooting (11 of 33) after halftime.
That's a combination that often leads to wins for the Gators. Of course, the Cavaliers present an entirely different challenge. First, in the game plan, and second, under even brighter lights with a berth in the Sweet 16 at stake.
"Virginia is an even better team,'' White said. "It's an even tougher scouting report. But we're at least on a one-game winning streak."
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SUNSHINE STATE SUPPORT
The last time the Gators were in the tournament, they started their trek toward the 2014 Final Four with a pair of victories in Orlando at the Amway Center.
They were pleased on Selection Sunday when they learned they were headed back to Orlando despite those back-to-back losses to Vanderbilt -- both in Nashville, one on Vanderbilt's campus and one at Bridgestone Arena in the SEC Tournament.
The Gators expect another home-court advantage tonight in Orlando. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath/For UAA Communications)
While the Commodores were booted from the tournament in the first round, the Gators moved on in front of a very orange-and-blue gathering of 15,037 in Thursday's win. The Gators improved to 10-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament games in the state of Florida, their only loss to Iowa State in Tallahassee in 1995.
The players noticed the home-court advantage.
"The crowd was definitely helpful,'' senior guard Kasey Hill said. "I'm glad we didn't get comfortable with it and expect for them to help us win the game. We went out there and got it done, but they definitely helped us."
The Rowdy Reptiles are smiling somewhere.
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BACKCOURT SPEEDSTERS
Those who have seen the Gators play regularly know that Hill and Chiozza are lightning quick when they push the ball up the court on a mission.
Florida's backcourt speed has raised the eyebrows of those not that familiar with the Gators. Virginia guards London Perrantes and Marial Shayok have watched the Hill-Chiozza combination on tape and see what others are talking about.
"We've just got to make a conscious effort of getting back in transition and just relying on our pack and what we do,'' Shayok said.
Perrantes will be matched up on Hill and Chiozza but knows he can't stop them alone.
"The guards are so fast at getting into the lane," Perrantes said. "It's going to be a five-man effort for sure."
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QUOTE OF NOTE I
"It's going to be smash mouth. I'd like to credit our guys. We're a very, very good defensive team in our own right." – White on what is expected to be a defensive battle
QUOTE OF NOTE II
"There will probably be a few more Florida fans than Virginia fans is my guess. They'll be there in spirit." – Virginia coach Tony Bennett
QUOTE OF NOTE III
"This is going to be kind of like a rock fight. This will be first-to-60 wins. I like Florida in this basketball game because they have the ability to get more easy baskets." – ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg
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FREE THROWS
White is the fourth coach in UF history to lead the Gators to an NCAA Tournament win, joining Norm Sloan, Billy Donovan and Lon Kruger … Bennett was an assistant on Donovan's staff on the winning U.S. Under-19 team at the 2013 World Championships and worked with Gators head trainer Duke Werner and strength coach Preston Greene, both who are on White's staff. "That was a treat,'' Bennett said. "I love those guys. They're great guys."
