White's Second Season Set Culture Standard for Ones to Come

Mike White is 47-23 in his two UF seasons, including 3-1 in NCAA Tournament play.

White's Second Season Set Culture Standard for Ones to Come

Monday, March 27, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

The future of Florida basketball is extremely bright under Coach Mike White.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Mike White had changed out of his suit and into his comfy traveling wear Sunday night, as he dragged his suitcase out of Madison Square Garden, headed for the Florida team bus and the long ride to Newark Airport. On the other side of barricades gathered a crowd of South Carolina fans waiting to greet their beloved Gamecocks after defeating the Gators 77-70 in the NCAA East Region title game to clinch the first Final Four in school history.

White acknowledged them as he walked by.

"Congratulations, you guys!" White shouted their way. "Keep it rollin'!"

That, too, is now the charge for White and his coaching staff. To keep it rollin'.

Two years removed from the program's first losing record since 1997, and in just the second year of the White tenure, the Gators went 27-9, finished in second place in the Southeastern Conference, and stormed to a trio of victories in the NCAA Tournament, the last coming by the hand of guard Chris Chiozza and one of the most memorable plays in UF basketball history.

But it all came to an end in the regional final against an all-too-familiar opponent who over the course of 40 minutes eventually just wore the Gators down — and into the offseason.

The success of the 2016-17 team put Florida basketball back in the familiar stratosphere it enjoyed when Billy Donovan led the program to 14 NCAA Tournaments over his 19 seasons, with 12 over his final 15 years. Only one player on the roster, senior point guard Kasey Hill, had experienced the euphoria of a postseason run, having played a key reserve role for the 2014 team that won 30 in a row and advanced to the Final Four.

But UF's last two teams, respectively, went 16-17 and lost their coach to the NBA, and followed that up with a late-season collapse that led to an NIT berth and eventual 21-15 mark.

This season, this team, was about reestablishing some critical elements of the program, both on and off the floor.

"We didn't make all the right basketball plays today or this season," White said Sunday night. "But I'm very proud of where our basketball culture is right now."

It's a bigger-picture thing that oftentimes can only be grasped by the guys in the locker room. The '16-17 Gators didn't look all that different from '15-16. In fact, they were nearly the identical squad minus their leading scorer and rebounder in Dorian Finney-Smith, who went on to the NBA.

But the team grew, matured and found common ground — and with it great chemistry — in the second season under White, who had never coached in the NCAA Tournament. Now this season and tournament run will serve as a springboard for years to come.

For that, Hill and his teammates can take a bow.

"I'm happy that we got back to the tournament, got the university back into the tournament," said Hill, who finished his career with 1,080 points, tied for 47th in school history, but No. 2 all-time in assists with 527 and fourth in steals with 182. "And I'm happy Coach White could be a part of that and everybody else could be a part of that."

Added junior forward Devin Robinson: "I wish we could have gotten further, but everything happens for a reason. I'm just happy we made it this far with this good group of guys we have here. In the future, learn from this lesson and carry on."

And what of that future?

The Gators will say goodbye to four seniors in Hill, forward Justin Leon, swingman and SEC Sixth Man of the Year Canyon Barry, and walk-on Schuyler Rimmer, a quartet that accounted for 37.1 percent of the Florida offense this season. Hill led the team in assists with 161. Leon led the Gators in hustle and 3-point shooting at 39.8 percent. Barry was second in scoring at 11.4 points per game, tied for the lead in free-throw percentage at 88.3 and was a decent 3-point threat at 33.6 percent.

On paper, UF is due to return nine players, including a pair of starters in shooting guard and leading scorer KeVaughn Allen (14.0 points per game), plus Robinson at the small forward spot. Fourth-year junior John Egbunu was the starting center when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in February, so he is eligible to return for a fifth season. Center Kevarrius Hayes, who took over for Egbunu and proved to be quite the defensive force with a team-best 60 blocked shots, will be a junior next season.

Robinson, though, is expected to put his name into the NBA draft pool to get feedback about this stock. He did so last year, only to pull out when a postseason physical discovered a stress fracture in his foot that required surgery. Robinson averaged 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds his junior and was a huge factor in UF's postseason run.

As for Egbunu, he's on schedule to graduate in May and could be evaluating his options.

"We have a couple guys who probably have decisions to make," White said. "I want them to deal in their best interests and do what's best for them, period. Then we'll figure out who's on board with the Gators."

They'll definitely have Sweet 16 hero Chris Chiozza back. He'll be handed the ball as starting point guard, probably for 30-plus minutes per game for his senior year, after averaging 7.2 points and dishing 135 assists versus just 56 turnovers. Just as important, he'll be the leading candidate to step into a leadership and front man role. Forward Keith Stone, center Gorjok Gak and guard Eric Hester, each of whom got minutes (some more than others) at times during the season, are also due back.

Swingman Jalen Hudson sat out the season per NCAA rules after transferring from Virginia Tech and figures to vie with Allen to be the team's best offensive player next season, thus giving the Gators two potent scorers who can get their own shots. Freshman power forward Dontay Bassett sat out the season as a medical redshirt following foot surgery last October and could be cleared for full contact in another month.

UF's three-man incoming freshman class — 6-6 guard DeAundrae Ballard (Atlanta), 6-8 forward Chase Johnson (Ripley, W.Va.) and 6-8 center/forward Isaiah Stokes (Memphis, Tenn.) — has been ranked among the nation's 10 best by some recruiting services. Stokes, however, underwent reconstructive knee surgery in January, meaning three of UF's four post players next season (Egbunu, Bassett and Stokes) will be coming off season-ending surgeries. All are expected to be full go in time for the start of the SEC slate in late December.

The future is certainly bright. A lot of it has to do with the most recent past.

"It's created a momentum for what's ahead," UF athletic director Scott Stricklin said. "This has been a fun team to watch all year, to see the way they compete and carry themselves. You don't see attitude. They're about the right things, and it's a reflection of Mike and the job he's done. That's the thing the Gator fans should feel good about. We're going to have more opportunities to come to this tournament, and the more you're in this tournament, the more you have chances for deep runs like this. My suspicion is this won't be the last time we're in this round."

White was asked to describe his last few weeks.

"Hectic, whirlwind, exhausting, gratifying, exciting, emotional … [and] I wish they were all like the other night," White said, harkening back to Chiozza's circus shot against Wisconsin in the regional semifinal. "But rewarding. It's been a great group to work with, to see them have the success that they have had, knowing how much they have worked, knowing the adversities that they have had to overcome."

The offseason officially began Monday. So did the work toward next season.

Actually, it's been going on for months.