Beyond the arc: 3 takeaways from UF’s 65-63 loss to FSU

[News Bot]

Some observations from Florida’s 65-63 loss at rival Florida State:

– Before the season began, Florida coach Billy Donovan was more worried about defense than offense. But clearly, this isn’t the dynamic passing and scoring team that Donovan envisioned going into the season. The Gators had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 7 for 17 against Florida State, while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 21.1 percent (4-19) from 3-point range. From an offensive standpoint, Florida has no one who can consistently make his own shot, so the Gators need to rely on ball movement and player movement for points. That didn’t happen well enough Tuesday night.

– Florida redshirt senior Jon Horford has been steady all season, but against FSU, played by far his worst game of the season. Horford nearly had as many turnovers (3) as points (4) and looked overmatched at times against FSU’s longer, more physical frontline.

– On the subject of frontcourt players, sophomore center Chris Walker remains an enigma. The McDonald’s All-American talent went 1 of 6 from the floor with 2 points, 2 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 13 minutes against the Seminoles. “I wanted to play him more, but he was gassed,” Donovan said. “I thought he played with great energy. His shot selection wasn’t great. He only gave us 13 minutes, but from an energy standpoint, they were 13 good minutes. He just needs to learn to fight through that.” It’s hard to fathom that Walker lacked energy considering he played in Tallahassee, 93 miles from his hometown of Bonifay.

Source: GatorSports.com - Hoops Scoop

 

[DRU2012]

The worst part may be what we saw a sign of last night: Donovans's ROUNDball squad demonstrated the very kind of "Bone-Headed LOSER Maneuver" we got all too used to seeing, even expecting in our former FOOTball Coach's squad the past season. When that poor dope capped the whole team's bumbling performance by putting in the "Game-Winner" for the other guys (FSU, no less...and it may be even harder to pull off that sort of thing in B-ball than with a pigskin!) right at the end, he sent a signal far and wide: ANOTHER "talented Gator team" is ready to undershoot its fans lowered-expectations to end the year--and possibly season too, it would seem.
"It hurts. To be. A Flo-ri-da Ga-tor!" Said "It hurts. To be. A Flo-ri-da Ga-tor!" ...and so on.