NEW YORK –
KeVaughn Allen was forced to do something he would never have done on his own. It was 1 o'clock Saturday morning and Allen and his teammates were still buzzing after
Chris Chiozza's buzzer-beater.
Chiozza's game-winning 3-pointer at sold-out Madison Square Garden gave Florida an 84-83 overtime win over Wisconsin and lifted the Gators to their fifth Elite Eight in seven years.
In the aftermath, Allen was requested by the media to join Chiozza and head coach
Mike White at the podium to discuss the Gators' most exciting NCAA Tournament win in school history other than those back-to-back national championships.
Unlike the time Allen nearly flunked a class in high school because he refused to give a speech in front of the class for the mid-term exam, he participated in the postgame media session.
People want to hear you talk after you score 35 points and set a school-record for the most points in an NCAA Tournament game. Even Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was at MSG to support the Badgers, paid tribute.
Allen didn't say much. He's not one to talk about himself or anyone else for that matter. White summed up his sophomore shooting guard's performance right away.
"
KeVaughn Allen was unbelievable all game,'' White said.
In the Gators' victorious locker room, everywhere you turned someone had something to say about Allen's dynamic performance on the biggest stage he has ever played.
"I called it. I told one of the managers today that KeVaughn is going to go off,'' freshman center
Gorjok Gak said. "I called it because he's been having a little slump. I knew he was going to go crazy for us. He's a terrific player. If he stays aggressive for us, we're in good hands."
Added point guard
Kasey Hill: "That is what K is going to do. He's going to score for us. He's a great scorer. It's a big stage and he played a great game."
Allen entered the Sweet 16 contest against the Badgers about as cold as he can get. In victories over East Tennessee State and Virginia in Orlando last weekend, Allen made just 3 of 21 shots and 1 of 13 from beyond the arc.
His shot was clearly off.
He quickly found the basket Friday night on a jump shot for the game's first points. Allen then missed his next six shots and eight of his first 10.
"I just feel like he had to warm up to the game," teammate
Kevarrius Hayes said. "Once he washed that away, he heated up."
After Allen missed a layup, Wisconsin's Ethan Happ converted at the other end to give the Badgers a 24-13 lead with 8 minutes, 9 seconds left in the first half. A 3-pointer by
Keith Stone and jumper by Allen trimmed the lead to 24-18.
Soon after is when Allen really began to heat up. And it started at the foul line. Allen made 6 of 6 free throws late in the first half after being fouled by the Badgers on 3-point shots. The six points turned a 30-28 deficit into a 34-32 lead for the Gators after Allen sank three free throws with a second left in the half.
Allen, who finished with 15 first-half points on 4 of 12 shooting, carried his shooting touch into the second half to score 20 points after the break. He finished 11 of 24 overall, 9 of 10 from the free-throw line, and 4-for-12 from 3-point range. No other Gator reached double figures. Allen's 35 points eclipsed the previous UF record for points in an NCAA Tournament game, set by Kenny Boynton (27) in a first-round loss to BYU in 2010.
"KeVaughn was due for a big night,''
Justin Leon said. "We still had our faith in KeVaughn. We know what type of player he is."
That's why when Allen started 2 of 8 – extending his NCAA Tournament shooting slump to 5 of 31 – White continued to tell Allen to stay aggressive and to take shots when he was open. Allen also drove to the rim, including a key layup with 47 seconds left in overtime that trimmed Wisconsin's lead to 80-77 and kept hope alive for Florida.
"That's all [Coach] was really telling me, just to keep shooting it and just to be aggressive,'' Allen said.
Fortunately for the Gators, he listened.
Allen did it with his mother, Ahna Curry,
the person who connects with him the most, in the stands. Curry did not make it to Orlando and rarely gets to see her son play in person since she lives in Arkansas.
"She raised me the right way, so I give her all the credit for the night, just the way that she raised me and just the young man that I grew up to be," Allen said.
Back in Florida's joyous locker room, Allen avoided the spotlight if possible.
He let others do the talking.
"He did exactly what we ask of him, make plays and hit shots,'' Hayes said. "He is very good at what he does."
Devin Robinson was the offensive star for Florida in Orlando, tying his career-high with 24 points against ETSU and adding 14 in the victory over Virginia.
He had seven points and five rebounds against Wisconsin, gladly watching Allen carry the team offensively most of the night.
"I knew it was coming,'' Robinson said. "He's been at it every day, staying confident. The lights came on and he started knocking down shots. He could do that every game. I knew it was coming soon. Hopefully it carries over to Sunday."
If so, Allen better get ready for another trip to the postgame podium.
