Mike White revamped his practice drills during the 10 days between the Gators' last game, a loss to Michigan State, and Tuesday night's return to the floor at home against Mercer.
At the Buzzer: Florida 71, Mercer 63 (Instant Breakdown)
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
AT THE BUZZER
FLORIDA 71, MERCER 63
FLORIDA 71, MERCER 63
WHAT HAPPENED: Freshman guard Noah Locke equaled his career high with 18 points, including five makes from the 3-point line, and senior guard KeVaughn Allen came off the bench to throw in 15 more points to send the Gators to victory Tuesday night at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center. The Bears made the home team work for it, however, taking a lead late in the first half, and keeping things close early in the second before a 10-2 run took UF's led to double figures for the first time and the Gators finished from there. Neither team shot it well in the first half (Florida 39.4 percent to Mercer's 37.5), but the Gators knocked down 10 of their first 20 to start the second period and stretch out the lead to as many as 16. The Bears didn't quit, though, scratching away to draw within six, 60-54, before freshman point guard Andrew Nembhard hit four straight free throws to take it back to 10. Again, the Bears didn't go away, twice chipping it to five inside 27 seconds when Allen hit four straight free throws to help settle the issue. Nembhard finished with 10 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while UF senior center Kevarrius Hayes scored eight points and had season highs of 11 rebounds and five blocked shots.
WHAT IT MEANS: For now, a one-game winning streak and another victory over a non-Power Six opponent. These games (and wins) are more about internal focus and development, doing things the right way and with the right effort. If Mike White and his staff believe the Gators took a step in the right direction on those fronts against the Eagles then the game served its purpose (along with providing another "W"). That said, this one was a struggle and no one in the O'Dome was breathing very easily as the Bears made things a little dicey down the stretch.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Locke, out of Owings Mills, Md., played to his strengths, which meant floating on the perimeter, working to find open space, squaring and firing away. Since being inserted in the starting lineup in the second game of the Battle 4 Atlantis, Locke has averaged 10.3 points over the six games and shot 43 percent overall and 40.7 from the 3-point line.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: Fifth-year senior and 2017-18 leading scorer Jalen Hudson, out of the starting lineup the last five games, was on the floor to start the game, with White awarding his swingman for the work put in during practice over the last week. Hudson, who replaced Allen, hit just one of his seven shots and missed all four of his 3-pointers in 14 minutes. For the season, he's now shooting 28.5 percent from the floor and is 6-for-34 from the arc (17.6 percent).
UP NEXT: Florida (6-4) will hop a bus Friday afternoon to South Florida for date Saturday against Florida Gulf Coast (4-8) in the team's annual visit to the Orange Bowl Classic at the BB&T Center in Sunrise. The Eagles, who Sunday trounced Maryland-Baltimore County (ever heard of 'em?), take on Keiser Wednesday. UF will be playing in the OB event for the 13th straight year and 20th time in the past 22 seasons. The Gators are 16-3 in the Classic after having a seven-game winning streak snapped last year in a loss against Clemson. The UF-FGCU game will be the second of an afternoon double-header preceded by Florida State taking on St. Louis.
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