Finding the right chemistry has been difficult for the Gators early this season, what with juggling lineups and inconsistent individual play.
UF Searching (Individually, Collectively) For Its Sweet Spot
Tuesday, December 19, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
Share:
By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – They've put together a modest three-game winning streak without, well, really putting it all together.
That would be it, as in an across-the-board, all-hands-deck performance.
And that's been kind of the calling card of the Florida Gators to date. A couple of their front-line players will turn in really good performances, while a couple others scuffle to find their way, be it with shooting, free throws, ball-security, etc. Despite the uneveness, UF has managed to win seven of its 10 outings. Will Richard (left) and 7-1 Micah Handlogten(3) wall up on defensive for the Gators vs East Carolina.
Remember the Virginia game? Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten posted double-doubles on the same night scoring leader Walter Clayton's shot wasn't falling and he turned the ball over five times in a 73-70 loss. The 95-91 shootout defeat against ranked Baylor? Guard Riley Kugel went off for a career-high 25 points, but Clayton was sick and had an off game while Handlogten, the 7-foot-1 center, was out with an ankle injury? Five days later at Wake Forest? Kugel was good for 24 points, but Clayton and point guard Zyon Pullin combined to go 6-for-24, while wing Will Richard had just three points on one field-goal try.
The last three games – wins over Merrimack, followed by neutral-site victories against Richmond and East Carolina – have seen Kugel's offensive productivity swoon in a significant way (7-for-27 from the floor, 1-for-13 from the 3-point line), but Clayton, Samuel and Richard have taken turns stepping up. Reserve freshman center Alex Condon, too.
"When we're playing to the best our of our ability, we can compete with any team in the America, I really believe that," UF coach Todd Golden said. "It's also really hard to do."
The Gators, though, do have a reference point this season.
"We got a glimpse of it, what we can be, in the Florida State game," Handlogten said of UF's 89-68 drubbing of the rival Seminoles on Nov. 17. "What were we up, like 30 at the half?"
That's exactly what it was, as UF showed chemistry and cohesiveness along with an unselfishness and firebrand level of competitiveness. That's exactly the kind of effort Golden and the Gators (7-3) would love to see – and quite possibly may need Tuesday night – when they take on Michigan (6-5) in the Jumpman Invitational at Spectrum Center.
[Read senior writer Chris Harry's "Pregame Stuff" setup here]
The Wolverines, obviously, have their own problems (witness those five losses), but they boast one of the most lethal offenses in the country. They're 20th in offensive efficiency, but 13th in effective field-goal percentage, thanks to 57.7 percent from the 2-point area and a blistering 37.8 from 3. Michigan runs really good stuff, gets great looks and makes shots.
The Gators have been pretty good on offense this season (32nd in efficiency), but a lot of those numbers are padded because they're the fourth-best offensive rebounding team in the nation and thus get multiple extra possessions per game. UF has not been a good 3-point shooting team, despite having shooters (Richard, Clayton, Kugel, Pullin) who have hit at high percentages in their careers.
After a run of six straight games in single-figure scoring, junior wing Will Richard (5) has averaged 15.5 points the last two games, while shooting 55 percent from the floor and 45.5 from the 3-point line. He's averaged eight rebounds over his last three games.
Sometimes they've done so as Gators, but Golden would like to see it all come together at the same time. But, like he said, it's really hard to find that sweet spot. Ask any coach.
Indiana Jones had an easier time finding the Ark of the Covenant.
"We've had moments, stretches where we've played that way, but most of the time we haven't been at our absolute best," Golden said. "We're still in the stages of getting everyone on the same page and having everyone available at the same time."
Added Clayton: "We still got some things to figure out."
Pullin, the transfer from California-Riverside, had to sit out the first three games for taking part in exposure games at the Portsmouth Invitational while flirting with the NBA draft process last spring. His first game as a Gator came against FSU. Pullin was great that night. So was Florida.
In just the second game after Pullin was in the fold, however, Handlogten went down with his injury, missed the next two games (both losses) and wasn't full go until last weekend against Richmond in the Orange Bowl Classic, which was the second of UF's current streak of three consecutive wins.
The Gators weren't particularly impressive (they trailed at halftime) in defeating Merrimack at home two weeks ago. They were solid against Richmond, an 87-76 victory, despite a really tough offensive afternoon for Kugel, and just OK in finishing off a 75-70 win over ECU, with Kugel struggling again and Florida turning it over 18 times.
Grad-transfer point guard Zyon Pullin (right) is trying to find his stroke (36.2 percent from the floor, 21.4 from 3), but made some key buckets in the ECU win.
But they've now played three games, including two straight, with their full complement of rotational players, so it would make sense the growth of playing together should be on the upswing.
Worth noting: In the three games when the Gators have had their full rotation (Florida State, Richmond and East Carolina), they've led for 117:26 out of a possible 120 minutes.
Now, imagine if Clayton, Kugel and, say, either Richard or Pullin started to mesh on the outside (or, dare to dream, all four at the same time), while Samuel, Handlogten and Condon continued doing their dominant dirty work on the glass.
"It all begins at practice," Clayton said.
UF had a spirited one Monday afternoon in the Charlotte Hornets' practice facility (and needed to after the accountability sprint-fest back in Gainesville the day before). The Florida coaches have landed on a core nucleus of eight guys, but the other players selling out – and showing out – at practice may warrant closer looks in coming games, as the season inches toward Southeastern Conference play.
"We know we have a team that is very gifted and talented," UF associate head coach Carlin Hartman said. "Yes, we've talked about what it could be if we could get it clicking all at the same time. It could be really special. But the challenge is to do it again. And again. And to do it in practice again and again. And do it again in games for 40 minutes. And then stacking multiple games."
And they can't do it in multiple games, without doing it in one.
