WHAT HAPPENED: Fifth-year point guard
Kyle Lofton, back in the starting lineup for the first time in four games, scored 15 points and dished seven assists, while sophomore backup wing
Kowacie Reeves poured in a game-high 20 points, including four 3-pointers, to go with six rebounds off the bench in the Gators' whipping Wednesday night of Ohio U at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Lofton, the St. Bonaventure transfer who was sidelined for two games with back pain and had the first scoreless outing of his 123-game career a week earlier against Connecticut, was in the first unit for the first time since the Nov. 27 loss to West Virginia at Portland, Ore. His final line showed four of six from the floor, 2-for-3 from distance, five of six from the free-throw line and just two turnovers over 25 minutes. Reeves, meanwhile, was terrific in reserve duty, falling one point shy of his career high. He hit seven of 11 shots, including four of seven from deep. Sophomore forward
Alex Fudge, making his fourth straight start, had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double. He also blocked three shots. Junior point guard
Trey Bonham, who started alongside Lofton in the backcourt, rebounded from his 0-for-8 night against UConn to score 12 points. UF didn't need much time to get out of its system the home bludgeoning it took a week earlier against now-No. 3 and unbeaten UConn. Not with the Gators shooting 50 percent in the first half and rolling to a 26-point lead at intermission while the Bobcats were clanging at 22 percent (just six of 27 from the floor), including 0-for-7 from the 3-point line. The game was played at something of a crawl through the first 10 minutes before the Gators picked up the pace, while the Bobcats maintained crawl mode. UF led 16-10 when it ripped off 17 straight points, 10 coming at free-throw line, as the Gators built a 42-18 lead by the break, thanks to Reeves' 3-pointer with two seconds to go. The second half was more of the same, with Florida making 10 of its first 16 shots, including four 3s, to Ohio U's five of 15 and no 3s, to go up by 36. UF lead swelled to as high as 40 with just over two minutes to go.
Fifth-year point guard Kyle Lofton was back in the starting lineup Wednesday against OU.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Bobcats began the day 140th in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, meaning this victory now represents the Gators' best win of the season. No, it isn't going to do much for Florida's overall resume, which showed the Gators at 74th in the NET, but it's way better than losing. UF now has one more game (a tough one) before opening Southeastern Conference play Dec. 28 at Auburn, the defending league champion. There's a chance the next two games could be "Quadrant-1" opportunities. UF is 0-4 in Q-1s and 6-0 in Q-4s. A lot of work to do, but Q-1 opportunities galore remain on the schedule.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Remember, Lofton missed nearly a month of the preseason with a groin injury, another two games after Portland with a sore back. He looked more lively, if not fully healthy, for this one. He has so much to give this team, especially as a floor general, but the Gators have to do their part by hitting shots. They did Wednesday.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: Ohio U went to Ann Arbor on Nov. 20 and took Michigan to overtime before losing 70-66. The Bobcats shot 35 percent for the game, 25 from 3 and 45.5 from the free-throw line that night and still threw a heckuva scare into the Wolverines. That version of the Bobcats did not show up in Tampa.
UP NEXT: Florida (7-4) does not get back on the court until Tuesday night when the Gators will face Oklahoma (7-3) in the Jumpman Invitational at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, home to the NBA Bobcats. The JI is a double-header featuring four of the original Jumpman brand schools, with North Carolina and Michigan playing the earlier game. The same four schools will play a women's double-header Wednesday night.
