Thompson-Boling Arena | Knoxville, Tenn.
Box Score<floridagators.com/documents/2022/1/26/2022_01_26_UF_at_UT.pdf> | Season Stats<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_documents_2021_11_9_2021-5F22-5FUFStats.pdf&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=fBjKhIJUBDJDVA1yfKuqmMmTPLAfTvRttpccORYKGSOJk6oEidpNNACO0zZbkkXa&s=oI3XC9sXpv46x3_css2xJZDJCMMSFwS-Y6OSiq16gME&e= >
Records: Florida 12-8 (3-5 SEC); #18 Tennessee 14-5 (5-3 SEC)
Next up for Florida: Home vs. Oklahoma State, Saturday, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Notable
* Florida threw haymakers early, hitting five of its first six 3-point attempts to take an early 23-10 lead before Tennessee rallied against the depleted Gators.
* In addition to playing without Colin Castleton (shoulder), the Gators also lost Jason Jitoboh for the game (eye) after he was hit in the face by an opposing player late in the first half. CJ Felder was also limited to three minutes coming off an illness.
* Anthony Duruji and Tyree Appleby stepped up with 16 points each. Duruji led with six rebounds, and Appleby had a team-high seven assists.
* The Gators used their eighth different starting lineup of the season.
Head Coach Mike White
On how the game changed with Jason Jitoboh going out and how the team responded…
“It changed a lot, offensively and defensively. It changed our whole approach in terms of defense… We were just trying different things and kind of throwing some stuff out there. Then, Rooj (Anthony Duruji) is getting fouls and Tuon (Gatkek) is a guy who just gets out there and gives it his all. Offensively, we’re running some stuff against one of the best defenses in the country. Jason is our best screener, then they get to where they’re switching in the second half, and we can’t take advantage of those switches on the interior… Just not much of an interior threat there in the second twenty. In terms of the mental approach, I thought we fought harder and played as hard as we possibly could play.”
On what he thought about the team in the first half…
“Shooting it with more confidence. Knowing the moment is big and we have to step up, make a couple shots, have elite defense, have to play confidently or we won’t have a chance because of their prowess defensively. We have to simplify the approach a little bit. Our guys played loose. I thought Tyree, in the first half, was as good as he’s played in any half probably since he’s been here… Dictating tempo, decisions, quarterbacking, playing within himself, getting guys shots, has elite speed, and he did a good job. In the second half, the key to the game for us with these really quick turns – it’s not seven or eight keys, it’s one or two offensively and defensively – was valuing the basketball. We had three at halftime and we had 10 in the second half that really hurt us. Then, defending the three. I thought we did a good job on the interior. We were just a step late on five or six of those threes. Vescovi was terrific going 5-of-8, and Zakai goes 3-of-5. We gave up 11 threes… You know, if you give up seven or eight, maybe you come here and steal this one.”
#4 Anthony Duruji, Senior Forward
On the game…
“I thought we fought very hard and stayed together. We’re continually trying to grow and put a whole game together. I think we fought together and we had each other’s backs. Obviously, there are things you can’t control. We tried to control what we could control today, and it was just an unfortunate ending.”
On how tough the last five days have been…
“It’s been really tough, but it comes with the game. We don’t want to make any excuses for ourselves. We have to continue to try and fight through adversity because we knew there was going to be adversity in the game about how we respond. I think we took a step… Obviously, we didn’t come out with the win, but we have to continue to get better and look at the good side of it.”
On how key it was to shoot confidently in the first half…
“I think it was key for us and got us going in the first half… Got us a lead early. I think that’s big. We try to just play defense, but on the offensive end, Coach [White] says, ‘Let it fly. Don’t think too much. You’re all good players, so shoot when you’re open.’ And, that’s what we did.”
