UVA Basketball (5-2) faces #13 Florida (8-0) in a matchup in the 2024 ACC/SEC Challenge.
The Gators have two wins over ACC teams, and a 37-point win over a one-loss Wichita State.
UVA and Florida met, you may remember, in a neutral-court game in Charlotte early last season, in a game that the ‘Hoos won, 73-70, without any help from UVA Basketball alum Cory Alexander, who talked the refs into a replay of an out-of-bounds call that ended up going the Gators’ way.
Cory won’t be working this one, for what that’s worth.
First half
First media timeout: UVA 13, Florida 6, 15:16/1st
Virginia starts 5-of-8 from the floor, and 3-of-5 from three. One layup, one short hook by Blake Buchanan, and one midrange jumper missed by Dai Dai Ames.
Second media timeout: UVA 20, Florida 16, 11:12/1st
The ESPN guys are talking about the pace of the game. They need to consult the stats: the game is at a 63 possession pace right now.
It’s that UVA is 8-of-12 from the floor, and Florida is 7-of-13, that the score is what it is.
UVA timeout: Florida 24, UVA 20, 8:15/1st
Florida has outscored Virginia 8-0 since the 12:08 mark, when Dai Dai Ames subbed out with his second foul.
UVA has four turnovers in the last 4:47.
Final media timeout: Florida 37, UVA 30, 2:40/1st
Ames subbed back in at the 5:06 mark, and the offense is looking good with him back on the floor – UVA has made its last four shots from the floor.
Florida has 10 points off turnovers and five second-chance points.
Half: Florida 39, UVA 35
First half analysis
Florida outscored 15-0 over a 6:09 stretch of the first half, and Virginia is down four.
The idiot studio analyst for ESPN2 seems to think Virginia would be in the game if not for the turnovers.
News flash: it’s a four-point game with the turnover issue.
Because UVA is 14-of-27 from the floor, 5-of-12 from three and 6-of-8 at the rim.
Just seven jumpers, and two of those were just outside point-blank range.
What this game exposes is: the lack of quality depth behind Dai Dai Ames at the point.
Andrew Rohde is a good two guard, a really good passer as a two guard, but he’s not the guy to be the primary point guard for this squad.
Second half
First media timeout: Florida 48, UVA 41, 15:26/2nd
Virginia is hanging around. Florida is getting some home cooking on the calls, which is fine.
Florida is 4-of-6 shooting in the second half. Three layups. Too easy.
Second media timeout: Florida 60, UVA 45, 11:43/2nd
Yeah, this one’s over. Florida is 8-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-5 from three in the second half. The other six non-threes are all shots at the rim (5-of-6).
Slicing and dicing.
UVA timeout: Florida 72, UVA 52, 7:52/2nd
It is, unfortunately, quite obvious that this Virginia team isn’t competitive with Top 15 teams right now.
Not sure they will be even when they’re fully formed.
The tweaks to the offense still aren’t creating enough quality shots, and turnovers are going to be an issue against athletic teams.
Final: Florida 87, UVA 69
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Chris Graham
