Florida Gators

WHAT HAPPENED: Sophomore guard Will Richard returned from a game off due to injury with a team-high 14 points, leading five Gators into double-figure scoring, and the home team used 53-percent shooting for the game (including 50 percent from the 3-point line) and a dominant run over the first and second halves to blow out the Hatters 89-51 in their Sunday matinee at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center. Richard, who missed Wednesday's 40-point win against Florida A&M with a sore knee, was a perfect five of five from the floor and 4-for-4 from the 3-point line. Sophomore guard Kowacie Reeves, making a second straight start for injured fifth-year point guard Kyle Lofton (back spams), scored 12 points, while sophomore forward and LSU transfer Alex Fudge, in his first UF start and second of his career, posted 11 points, eight rebounds and went 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. Fifth-year forward Colin Castleton had 11 points, five rebounds and three assists, while junior point guard Trey Bonham had 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and just one turnover. Fifth-year guard Myreon Jones didn't hit double figures, but he had his finest game of the season: 8 points (3-4 floor, 2-3 from deep), six rebounds, five assists and no turnovers. After a sloppy start for both teams, the Gators took an early 10-point advantage, 18-8, just over 10 minutes in before the Hatters closed within three points twice, the last time with three minutes to go in the period on an offensive rebound and stickback by center Mahamadou Diawara. UF, though, answered that Stetson charge with eight straight points, including a 3-pointer by Bonham and worked up an 11-point lead, 33-22, at the break after shooting just under 41 percent for the period and turning the ball over nine times to SU's 30 percent and nine turnovers. Florida started the second half with back-to-back 3s from Reeves and Bonham, part of an 18-2 run that bridged the two halves and eventually became a 30-6 run and 27-point lead with 14 minutes to go. The Gators coasted from there, as Stetson shot just 33.3 percent for the game. The Hatters came into the game ranked 16th nationally at 40 percent from the arc, but were held to just 4-for-17 out there (23.5 percent). WHAT IT MEANS: A second straight lopsided win and not much more, given Stetson entered the game at No. 305 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) metrics. The Gators need to use their last two games to reach the best version of themselves, given the looming teams (and opportunities) on the schedule, starting Wednesday night. Read on.   

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Richard's consistency and efficiency has been astounding. He's now shooting 60.6 from the floor on the season (37 of 61), 58.6 from the 3-point line (17 of 29) and 94.7 from the free-throw line (18 of 19). Apparently, the game off Wednesday didn't interrupt his rhythm. 

STAGGERING STATISTIC: The last two games, the Gators have combined to shoot 58 percent from the floor and nearly 55 from the 3-point line. 

UP NEXT: Florida (6-3) is back home Wednesday, but the opponent won't be a low-major foe like Stetson or Florida A&M. The Gators will play host to Connecticut (9-0), the nation's No. 8 team, which won the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland with blowouts of Oregon, Alabama and Iowa State, and Thursday easily handled Oklahoma State at home. The Huskies loaded up on the transfer portal, but also landed 7-foot-2, 260-pound freshman Donovan Clingan from nearby Bristol. This will be the Gators' biggest test to date. Yes, more so than that 29-point loss to West Virginia.