Florida Gators

WHAT HAPPENED: Guard Grant Sherfield scored 22 points and the Sooners hit five second-half 3-pointers while holding the Gators to none in handing UF a 62-53 defeat Wednesday night in the inaugural Jumpman Classic at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. Sherfield shook off early foul trouble (two in the game's first seven minutes) to hit seven of 13 from the floor, including four of six from deep, having entered the game a sparkling 55.4 percent from distance on the season -- and he actually improved those numbers. Florida, meanwhile, shot just 32.1 percent overall for the game and was limited to just two of 22 from the arc (9.1 percent). The Gators' offensive struggles were so pronounced, the Sooners only required five 2-point makes in the second half. One of those 2s was a driving layup by Sherfield with 2:14 to go that gave OU a five-point lead. When UF missed a late-clock shot attempt at its end, Oklahoma took advantage of an open floor with a pass over the top of the defense that ended with a dunk by Jalen Hill for a seven-point margin, the Sooners' largest of the game. They closed from there. OU forward Tanner Groves had 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Hill scored six points but grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds. Florida was led by fifth-year forward Colin Castleton's 22 points and eight rebounds, plus junior guard Trey Bonham's 14 points. The rest of Florida's starting five, forward Alex Fudge, and guards Will Richard and Kyle Lofton, combined for just eight points on 4-for-23 from the floor and 0-for-9 from 3. UF started well, building an 11-point lead through the game's first 13 minutes, but that's when the cold spell kicked in, as the Gators missed 14 of their final 16 shots of the period and led by just two, 31-29, at the break. The teams went back and forth most of the second half, before OU grabbed the lead for good on a transition 3-pointer off a turnover by Jacob Groves with 12:35 to play. UF had numerous opportunities to tie or even take the lead, but one empty possession after another was too much to overcome.  
  WHAT IT MEANS: Since the Sooners came into the game ranked No. 59 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) ratings, they very likely will climb into the Top 50, meaning the Gators will be 0-5 in so-called "Quadrant-1" opportunities to date. Yes, UF will have a bunch more cracks at Q-1 opponents -- in short order, actually (read on) -- but going winless is not the way Coach Todd Golden wanted to navigate through the most challenge parts of the non-conference schedule; nor how he expected to. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sherfield, the transfer from Nevada, lived up to his billing as one of the most efficient offensive players in the country. 

STAGGERING STATISTIC: The Gators went 4-for-24 from the 3-point line in losing 74-67 at Oklahoma on Dec. 1, 2021. Pair that with Tuesday's 2-for-22 and that's 6-for-46. And that's 13 percent over two games. 

UP NEXT: Florida (7-5) is done with its preseason non-league schedule. It's also officially the start to the holiday break, with several players heading home Wednesday from Charlotte and reporting back Christmas Day for a practice that night, what with the Southeastern Conference opener at 23rd-ranked Auburn (9-2) set for Dec. 28. The Tigers, who play Wednesday night at Washington, are the defending conference champions, but the Gators split two games last season, including an upset 63-62 win at Gainesville on Feb. 19. Auburn was ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time, giving Florida its first home victory in program history over an opponent ranked that high.