GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Todd Golden settled into his post-game podium seat after his team's victory Friday night and was asked, first question, whether he was frustrated with his team's offense.
"Not really," Golden said. "We scored 88."
Indeed, they did. The Gators defeated Kennesaw State 88-78 behind a spectacular, career-high performance of 33 points from fifth-year forward Colin Castleton. As a team, UF shot 54.5 percent from the floor (eclipsing 50 percent in both halves), attempted only 11 3-point shots and worked for 48 points in the paint, mostly from Castleton, their 6-foot-11 two-time All-Southeastern Conference star who also had nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three steals.
So, no, Golden was not frustrated with the Gators (2-0) on offense. Defense? That was another matter.
Undersized and quick as they were feisty, the Owls, out of the Atlantic Sun Conference, hung around by shooting 53.1 percent in the second half and equaling the Gators' 14 rebounds after intermission. For the game, Kennesaw nearly matched UF's output in the paint (42 points) and worked the Gators for 11 offensive rebounds that converted to 14 second-chance points.
"We got to do a better job," Castleton said. "Coach Golden got on us and the coaching staff was getting on us. We're a better defense than we displayed."
UF forwardsCJ Felder(1) and Colin Castleton (12) reject a shot from Kennesaw State's Brandon Stroud during Friday night's game.
Good thing the offense (and Castleton) was on point, otherwise things may have gotten a little uncomfortable at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center. As it was, the Gators, despite their defensive lapses, only once let the Owls get as close as eight in the second half — 59-51 with just over 12 minutes left — and had answers for each mini-run the visitors made.
Castleton, who eclipsed his previous career-high of 29 (against Arkansas last Feb. 22), threw in 12 of his 18 field-goal attempts, plus nine of 13 free throws, and also led a couple fast-breaks that ended with UF buckets. He had 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting in the first half, but the Florida lead was just 44-34. Guard Will Richard, the transfer from Belmont, again hit double-figure scoring in his second UF game with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Sophomore wing Kowacie Reeves scored all but one of his 11 points in the second half, including a pair of timely 3-pointers when KSU was trying to make its move. Senior forward CJ Felder had seven points, six boards and a pair of steals.
"Offensively, we played well enough and with a purpose," Golden said. "I'll take how we played on offense tonight."
Sophomore Kowacie Reeves (11) on the attack and on his way to 10 second-half points.
Golden, however, made it clear to his players in the post-game locker room that he would not "take" the performance at the other end of the floor. The Owls got a team-high 20 points from preseason All-Sun guard Chris Youngblood, along with14 points and five rebounds from 5-10 point Terrell Burden. The KSU duo combined to make 14 of 24 shots.
"They were going to come in here and try to punch us in the mouth," Richard said. "I don't think we handled it very well. We should have been the aggressor, at first."
It was sloppy on both ends early, with the game tied at 6-6 when the first media timeout arrived. The Gators actually fell behind by four, 12-8, just under the 14-minute mark, but then used a run of 22-4 — starting with a Castleton-led break that finished with a wicked slam from freshman guard Riley Kugel and ending with a corner 3 from Richard — to lead 28-16 with less than six minutes to go in the period.
UF led by 14 with just over a minute left before halftime, but the Owls dropped a couple late 3s to trail by just 10 at the break.
Sophomore guard Will Richard (5) had it working from both inside and out against the Owls.
In the second half, the margin stayed mostly in double figures, fluctuating from as few as eight to as many as 17 with 2:20 to go. In between, though, UF fifth-year point guard Kyle Lofton (9 points, 2 assists), picked up his fourth foul with 12:21 to go — and his team up by 10 — then fouled out when he had words with an official and was hit with a technical foul.
"He's a leader. A senior. Can't allow that to happen," Golden said. "We let the emotions from some calls affect the way we behaved."
Minus Lofton, Golden did not turn to sophomore backup point guard Trey Bonham ("He had a run in the first half where he looked sped up and not comfortable," Golden said) and instead gave the ball to fifth-year Myreon Jones, who was steady under pressure as the Owls tried to battle back. Jones finished with two points, five rebounds, two assists and no turnovers over 22 minutes and helped his team close out a game opponent.
"We're happy about the W," Richard said. "But everybody is a lot more hungry knowing we have to come back [Saturday] even more hungry."
Lots of work still to do. Lots of games still to play.
