Florida scored 87 points in its easy win over UVA Basketball on Wednesday night in the SEC/ACC Basketball Series.
Not Challenge. Because it wasn’t a challenge for the SEC, which at this writing is up 11-1 in the 2024, ahem, whatever it is, not a Challenge.
Back to Florida, and the 87 points.
The Gators had 62 possessions, so, it wasn’t because they got Virginia to play up tempo.
It’s because they were 10-of-25 from three and 16-of-23 at the rim, and had 20 points off 15 Virginia turnovers.
As much as you’re inclined to write this off as the UVA team being out of its element, OK, the UVA team, which lost by 20-plus to Tennessee and St. John’s in the Bahamas two weeks, was out of its element here, but the ACC as a whole is out of its element.
North Carolina, for instance, lost 94-79 at home tonight to Alabama, to fall to 4-4 on the season.
The Heels are basketball’s version of a glazed doughnut – sweet on the outside, nothing in the middle.
But they’re one of our four Top 50 teams in KenPom – god save us all there.
Virginia, picked fifth in the ACC in the preseason, might actually be in the mix to be a top five ACC team, but it won’t be saying much, at this rate, to be one.
The ACC is a clear distant third to the football money powers, the SEC and Big Ten, and I’m probably being generous there, because the Big 12 and Big East would like a word.
Game story
Virginia (5-3) led by nine early, making 7-of-10 from the floor in the opening six minutes.
Dai Dai Ames had to sub out at the 12:08 mark after being whistled for his second foul, and Florida (9-0) took advantage, going on a 15-0 run over the next six minutes, and the Gators led by as many as nine into the final three minutes of the first half.
The ‘Hoos closed the first half on a 7-2 run to get back to 39-35 at the break, and got it back to one on an early second-half three from Elijah Saunders.
Florida took control by making 10 of its first 13 shots from the floor in the second half – 4-of-6 from three, 6-of-7 at the rim to get the lead to 17 inside of nine minutes to go, and cruised from there.
The Gators led by as many as 20 down the stretch.
Game notes
Saunders had a team-high 19 points (6-of-12 FG, 3-of-5 3FG) for the Cavaliers, who got 12 points from Isaac McKneely (4-of-10 FG, 4-of-8 3FG).
Virginia shot 45.6 percent from the floor (26-of-57) and was 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) from three.
Shots at the rim were at an acceptable level: 11-of-18.
Still too many two-point jumpers: 7-of-18.
Florida’s shot profile was ideal: 10-of-25 from three and 16-of-23 at the rim left 12 two-point jumpers as the other line item.
The Gators made five of those in the midrange.
Virginia’s 24.6 percent turnover rate (15 turnovers on 61 possessions) is also noteworthy.
Florida had six turnovers on 62 possessions (9.7 percent).
Walter Clayton Jr. was made to look like an NBA All-Star: he had 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting, 5-of-12 from three, and 5-of-7 at the rim.
Notice something there: no midrange jumpers. All threes and layups.
He was assigned to the G League camp when he tested the draft waters last spring, and he’ll be sent back there when his eligibility is exhausted in a few months.
Alex Condon, the 6’11” sophomore version of Uncle Rico, had 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including a three and three midrange jumpers.
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Chris Graham
