Records: Florida 19-8, 9-5 SEC; Vanderbilt 7-20, 2-12 SEC
Next up for Florida: Missouri, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network
Notable
* Will Richard led the Gators with 21 points, matching a career-high five made 3-pointers. It was his fifth 20-point game of the season and sixth as a Gators.
* Walter Clayton Jr. added 19 points, one shy of extending his four-game 20-point scoring streak, while Tyrese Samuel chipped in 15 points.
* Florida allowed its lowest scoring output in SEC play this season (previously 65 vs. Auburn) and played with a double-digit lead for the final 26:09 of the game.
* Though Zyon Pullin’s 23-game double-digit scoring streak ended, he managed a game-high +25 plus-minus along with six assists vs. one turnover, improving his A/TO ratio to 4.10, second-best in the nation.
* With their ninth SEC win of the season, the Gators assured themselves of a ninth straight .500 or better SEC record, the longest active streak in the SEC, and their 25th in the last 26th seasons (8-10 in 2014-15).
Head Coach Todd Golden
On the ball movement…
“I think it’s been a little bit of our calling card, especially since we got into conference play. Nonconference play as well. We do a really good job at manufacturing assisted baskets. It’s part of the reason why we’ve been so efficient offensively all year. Our ball control is one of our best qualities of the team. Obviously, at the end of each half, we were really sloppy against pressure which led to us getting the turnover number up to 12. It was probably, more realistically around seven or eight outside of those moments. It gives us something to work on this week, an area that we can improve, and I would assume that when we see Vanderbilt in a couple of weeks they will try to press us again after the way we handled it. We’ll try to prepare and get more ready for that. Our guys are super unselfish. I feel like we got a really good synergy out there on the floor. Obviously, it starts with ZP [Zyon Pullin] who generally is pretty good with the ball.”
On Will Richard…
“It’s one of those things you have to kind of deal with when you’re dealing with shooters. Unlike twos, your volatility from threes is more inconsistent. His percentage was a little lower than we know he’s capable of. I can’t remember, I said to somebody that we can be looking at this next week and he can be up to 40% after these next two games. Five for nine is a good start, he’s making me look smart on that. But, when he bangs shots, it definitely opens up a lot of things for us and he’s gotten a lot better defensively and improved a little bit on the glass. Just a really solid, really good player for us and one of the big reasons why we’ve had as much success as we’ve had so far this year.”
On Vanderbilt…
“They’re very hard to prepare for and they run a really good stuff where a lot of misdirection, a lot of pins for shooters. Things similar to the Georgia game where they’re going to try to take advantage of our big lineup and put shooters in the four and see if [Tyrese Samuel] or [Thomas Haugh] and those guys can guard them. But I thought we defended really well today. I thought this was one of our better defensive efforts in a while. Held them to 35% from the field. Didn’t shoot well from three. We fouled too much in the second half. We sent them to the line 23 times which was frustrating. In the big picture, I thought we gave ourselves a really good chance by the way we locked in and against a team like Vandy, to your point with how many sets they run, it’s more about the concepts and just understanding when you’re matched up against certain guys what you’re willing to give up what you’re not and which guys are no threes allowed guys. I thought our guys were locked in to the personnel today.”
Junior G Walter Clayton Jr.
On the team’s second half performance, Vanderbilt’s adjustments…
“Some of that is on us, we could have done a better job of communicating in the second half, and just being a better defensive team away from our bench.”
On playing a better defensive game, and maintaining a large lead…
“For us, there have been plenty of times where we’ve built a lead, and then teams come back. I think we need to build more mental toughness as a team to keep those leads and stay in those games.”
Junior G Will Richard
On his shooting success as of late, what has changed…
“Just getting extra reps in practice. Just working on staying in my shot, not leaning forward and back when I land. Just reps paying off.”
On the ball movement tonight, and how they accomplished a 17-assisst game…
“Just playing together, that’s an emphasis of ours. When everybody eats, it’s fun to do. We just make sure that we’re making the right reads… and play together.”
Grad F Tyrese Samuel
On the defensive challenge that Vanderbilt poses…
“I think they have a lot of plays that look the same, so being ready, not knowing what’s coming next, just making sure we get that stop.”