Graphic: Scott MacCord/UAA Communications
Final: Florida 74, Elon 61
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
AT THE BUZZER
FLORIDA 74, ELON 61
FLORIDA 74, ELON 61
WHAT HAPPENED: Senior forward Colin Castleton scored 18 points and blocked six shots, while senior guard Myreon Jones poured in a game-high 20 points to help pace the host Gators to victory in the 2021-22 season opener for both teams Tuesday night at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center. The 6-foot-11 Castleton, who had 17 first-half points and broke the school record for blocks in a first game (held jointly with four by Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Reggie Hannah), had a size advantage on the smaller Phoenix and used it to go 7-for-11 from the floor, but uncharacteristically struggled at the free throw line (4 of 10). Jones, meanwhile, did a little bit of everything. He didn't hit his first shot until nearly 15 minutes in, but went on to finish 6 of 13 overall, including 4-for-8 from the 3-point line, and also grabbed six rebounds and posted three assists. Florida shot 42.4 percent for the game and just 32.1 in the second half marred by a sloppy final 15 minutes. Elon, out of the Colonial Athletic Association, shrunk a 28-point UF lead to 13 with less than two minutes to go before an alley-oop dunk by backup freshman freshman forward Toungthach Gatkek on a press-break feed from classmate Kowacie Reeves awakened the O'Dome crowd. The Gators led by just six approaching the 10-minute mark of the first half when a mini-run of 9-2, highlighted by a follow-slam from Anthony Duruji, took the lead to double digits. The margin stood at a dozen inside four minutes to go when UF took off on a tear of 14 straight points, six from Castleton, with an Elon 3-pointer at the shot-clock horn and with just one second left in the half keeping the Gators from skunking the Phoenix in that final first-half stretch. As it was, Florida led 47-24 at the break, and went up 57-29 in the first three minutes out of the locker room before things got messy. Fifth-year senior point guard Tyree Appleby had 13 points, with Duruji pitching in eight points and seven rebounds.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Remember, Jones hit just two of his eight field-goal attempts and was 0-for-6 from the 3-point line in last week's exhibition win over Embry-Riddle. His teammates said afterward they wouldn't see that from Jones again anytime soon. He arrived as a career 37.6-percent shooter from deep and a two-time honorable mention selection in the Big Ten. Jones missed his first four shots in this one, but made up for his slow start. His first 3-point make as a Gator was from the deep corner. He was fouled. That "3" became a "4."
STAGGERING STATISTIC: After making three of their first five shots in the second half (all 3s), the Gators missed 17 of their last 23 shots and also went just 4-for-11 from the free-throw line after halftime.
UP NEXT: Florida (1-0) dives right into the measuring-stick phase of its non-league slate, as 20th-ranked Florida State comes to the O'Dome for a Sunday afternoon Sunshine Showdown. The Seminoles, who open their season Wednesday night at home against Penn, have won seven straight over the Gators, the longest such run by either team in the history of a the series that dates to 1951. UF last defeated FSU on Nov. 29, 2013. That was Thanksgiving weekend early on in what turned out to be a Final Four season.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballAlex Lloyd Media Availability 10-7-25
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CJ Ingram Media Availability 10-7-25
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Urban Klavzar Media Availability 10-7-25
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Rueben Chinyelu Media Availability 9-30-25
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