Florida Gators

WHAT HAPPENED: Five UF players scored in double figures, the team shot 54 percent from the floor and the Gators overwhelmed their visitors from the opening tip Saturday at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center, scoring the game's first 21 points and blowing out the Bulldogs just 36 days after losing a low-scoring matchup between the two teams at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. Fourth-year junior Keith Stone had 12 points and six rebounds, while freshman guard Noah Locke had his third consecutive game of double-figure scoring with 12 points to go with five rebounds. Fifth-year senior swingman Jalen Hudson had 11 points and seven boards, with senior guard KeVaughn Allen good for 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. Freshman Keyontae Johnson had a box-score stuffing game of 10 points, including a rim-rattling slam-dunk late, plus eight rebounds and two blocks. Florida built its 21-0 lead by burying nine of its first 12 shots, while Butler missed its first 11. The Bulldogs' first field goal (and points of any kind) came on a Jordan Tucker 3-point shot at the 11:00 mark. The Gators led by as many as 37 midway through the second half on the way to shooting nearly 64 percent in the first half to get things going and 47 for the game from the 3-point line (10 of 21). The Bulldogs beat UF 61-54 on Nov. 23 in the B4A by shooting 50 percent in the second half and holding the Gators to 28 percent after the break. This time, Butler hit 30.6 percent for the game, made just five of 24 from beyond the arc (20.8 percent) and did not have a player in double figures. 
 
WHAT IT MEANS: The Gators will head into the Southeastern Conference season with three straight victories (five wins over its previous six) and some big-time after not just beating but clubbing a solid, Power Six opponent they had lost to just 37 days ago. How UF's non-league resume with wins over Stanford, West Virginia and Butler (versus losses to Florida State, Oklahoma, Butler and Michigan State) shakes out over the long haul remains to be seen, but so does a lot about this enigmatic Florida team. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stone set the tone early by scoring seven of his team's first 11 points, all consecutively, as the Gators built their 21-point lead. Coming into the game, Stone had just two games where he reached double-figure scoring and UF needs more consistent production from him game to game. He was involved and engaged early, which was a very good sign. Stone made five of his field-goal tries, including two of three from deep.

STAGGERING STATISTIC: The last time Florida went on a 21-0 run of any kind was March 18, 2017 when the Gators were on their way to a 65-39 smashing of Virginia in third-round play of the NCAA Tournament at Orlando. As far as the last time (if ever) the Gators scored the first 21 points of a game to take a so-called three-touchdown lead, those kinds of records aren't so readily available. A good bet, though, would be never. 

UP NEXT: Florida (8-4) starts SEC play at home Jan. 6 against South Carolina (4-7), which has lost four straight (including double-digit defeats against top-five powers Michigan and Virginia) but figures to halt that skid Monday night against Division II North Greenville.