Florida Gators 64, Southern Utah 50

GAME STORY LINK from today's paper.

GAINESVILLE -- It wasn't pretty but UF earned its third win of the season Thursday night, defeating Southern Utah 64-50. UF made just one of 16 3-point attempts. Nick Calathes led the Gators with 18 points.

UF coach Billy Donovan was surprisingly pleased with the effort. Afterwards, he credited his team with playing great defense. The Gators foreced 21 turnovers and had 14 steals. UF freshman Ray Shipman of Miami Monsignor Pace had four steals in 13 minutes.

LIVE BLOG BELOW
UF still hasn't made a 3-point basket but leads SUU 48-38 with 7:48 left in the game. Timeout on the court and UF coach Billy Donovan slammed his dry-erase board on the floor to fire up his players. Ugly game here at the O'Dome.

--UF playing aggressively to begin the second. The Gators, back in their full-court defense, forced two straight Utah turnovers with 16:14 left in the game. UF off to a 9-0 run to take a 42-27 lead.

--Ray Shipman with a steal on an SUU inbounds to convert an easy dunk. Shipman's first points of the night. UF 39, SUU 27 (18:05).

--UF freshman center Kenny Kadji with a nice turnaround off the glass to start the first half. Kadji with eight points and playing the best basketball of his young career.

HALFTIME: One halftime stat really jumps off the box score tonight. UF didn't make a 3-pointer (0-of-8) in the first half. (UF made 13 3-pointers in its last win.) Calathes with nine points in the first half. Alex Tyus and Kenny Kadji with six each.

SUU ends the first half with an 8-0 run led by some point guard (Mike Josserand, PICTURED) that looks like the hillbilly from Deliverance. UF 33, Southern Utah 25 (52.9 seconds left in half). No joke, this kid is playing basketball with braces and no mouthpiece. What a baller.

--UF forward Dan Werner with his second bucket of the game to give UF a double-digit lead. UF up 31-17 with five minutes left in the first half. Nick Calathes leading the Gators with nine points. Center Alex Tyus with six.

--UF freshman center Kenny Kadji with the first dunk of his career (11:08). Kadji with four points in the first half. UF trying to a full-court press but it's not really working. Why switch to full-court defense when SUU can't make a bucket in its half-court set? UF 19, Southern Utah 12 (8:48).

--Dan Werner goes inside with a lay-up (11:58). UF on an ugly 8-0 run. SUU hasn't scored in nearly five minutes. UF leads 13-6 with 11:40 left.

--UF is 1 of 6 from the free-throw line with 12:42 left in the first. Pretty bad effort at the charity stripe so far. Freshman Erving Walker just clanged a pair.

--Miami's Ray Shipman in the game with 14:09 left and immediately helps force Southern Utah to call an emergency timeout to avoid a 10 second violation. Shipman played at Miami Monsignor Pace.

--UF leading Southern Utah 11-6 with 14:26 left in the first half. SUU is trying to slow down the game but its not working. The T-Birds can't make a jumper, shooting 3 of 9 from the floor. UF center Alex Tyus leads the Gators with four points and three rebounds.

--Florida playing the Southern Utah Thunderbirds tonight. Trivia question: Are there any other college mascots that share the name of a low-end fortified wine? In related news, the Gators are playing like winos to begin the game.

-jo-

Comments

[Oscar]

Based on going to the first few games and watching this one I don't feel like the team is that much better than last year's team.

The best big guy on the team is probably sitting out the year. But they'll be a lot better with Macklin and Boynton.

[Adam S.]

We do not look good at all.

BTW, jo, I know how bad you wanted to post the "first time in 16 years the Gators didn't hit a three-pointer in a game" but I guess Mr. Werner ruined that for you, huh?

:)

[Sarasota 'cane]

I'm really not one inclined to talk smack...but when you Canes fans come over to our (Gators) blog on here and talk so much junk, it has to come back and haunt you.

I watched that game objectively and you were outmatched in almost every facet of the game. Someone on Cote's blog actually said the Canes would be a top 10 team next year. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? You'll be lucky to make the Top 25 next year and never should've been in it in the first place this season.

I like Randy, I've never had anything against the Canes even though you all seem to hate on the Gators for no good reason other than jealously, but you guys need to know your role right now.

You are a rebuilding team, not a built team. You are young and learning. Randy's not going to do it over night. The sooner the fans realize that, cut him a little bit of slack, and stop worrying about other teams out of your conference (Gators, for example) the easier it will be.

Posted by: Adam S. | November 21, 2008 at 10:12 AM

Hey Adam, we know what we are, and where we want to go! Your "fan(s)" (canesrule, 13-1, cokecane, kehoe left a steamer...,etc.) have been flaming our blogs with garbage for over a year!

The comments you made about Miami are dead on (young team, rebuilding, not there yet), the comments about jealousy are absurd! The Gators under Meyer remind me a lot of the dominating teams under Johnson (80's)/Erickson(90's)! With that said, welcome to the club! With the resources that FL has, what took you so long!

As far as the "blog war" goes, you and Goody know who is doing it, and yet you continue to converse with them/him on your blog like there is no problem. We have one or two "fans" who are ruining your blog experience, you have ONE who is ruining ours! He's not even a Gator alum!

If you have a solution ,I'm open for it! If you do not, then realize that it is a Gator that has started the problem, and it is a Gator that continues to perpetuate it! Just so you know what he has posted since yesterday, I'll send it over here without edit! Enjoy!!

[Adam S.]

Again, two wrongs don't make a right. I made a simple post of an opinion, without slander or slight. In fact, I did nothing wrong. For you to then come back and "spam" our board with whatever you are about to is perpetuating exactly what you, yourself, have said you hate.

And yes, Canes fans ARE jealous of the Gators right now. 100%. To think otherwise is absurd.

[GumbyGator]

Wow, Jo hasn't mentioned the Newton arrest...your losing your touch Jo