xactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center| Gainesville, Fla.
Box Score<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_documents_2022_1_29_Gamebook.pdf&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=p16oLRCyupF-FMUZcvAw4_3f0Trr1KoGZkNOIRCH50O75weUnR4QnB4ClzVLYhtR&s=eHtV6EyAaZRylaxvR5sBXNWMTpVmwI3CBjAwQNJr_pY&e= > | 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=p16oLRCyupF-FMUZcvAw4_3f0Trr1KoGZkNOIRCH50O75weUnR4QnB4ClzVLYhtR&s=O4OBBcZiB8MIfXDU2euiV8LZ9bIAzY-9FtGmJlTKHOE&e= >
Records: Florida 13-8 (3-5 SEC); Oklahoma State 10-10 (3-5 Big 12)
Next up for Florida: at Missouri, Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Notable
* Florida rallied from 16 points down in the first half and 13 back at the break to earn the SEC/Big 12 Challenge victory, led by 21 points from Tyree Appleby in his highest-scoring game as a Gator.
* The Gators have beaten opponents from the Big 12, ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 in a single season for the first time in program history.
* Florida improves to 6-3 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, 5-2 under Mike White. UF is 4-0 in the series vs. Oklahoma State, 2-0 under White.
* The Gators’ 23 non-conference wins vs. power conference opponents under White marks the most in the league since 2015-16. Kentucky is second with 19 entering today’s action.
* Today’s comeback win marked the third-largest under Mike White (22 vs. Georgia, 2/5/20; 21 vs. Alabama, 1/4/20)
* Florida stepped to the line and knocked down 33 of 41 free throw attempts (.805). It marked the second-most makes under White (37/42 at Auburn, 2/14/17).
* The Gators forced 12 of OSU’s 16 turnovers in the second half and permitted just five made field goals over the game’s final 17 minutes.
* Florida used its ninth different starting lineup of the season, starting four guards while playing without both Colin Castleton (shoulder, fifth game missed) and Jason Jitoboh (eye, out for season) for the first time.
* Niels Lane and Tuongthach Gatkek took advantage of the next-man-up situation, with Lane posting a +14 with two blocked shots in 13 minutes and Gatkek chipping in eight points, three boards and three blocks, all career highs.
Head Coach Mike White
On halftime speech…
“I told these guys, ‘I did not see that coming.’ We are coming off a game where we played as hard as you can play. We left every ounce of energy, fight, and level of physicality up in Knoxville. This is a hard-playing team. This is a physically tough team that we have here and then more adversity and stepping up for Jason (Jitoboh). We were in the hospital this morning. Emotional day. Let’s do it for Jason and then just to lay a dud there in the first. It was shocking. Our guys responded in a huge way. No one likes to be called soft, but we played soft in the first half. We just did. Part of that is Oklahoma State played very tough and confidently, but we were good in the second twenty.”
On second half lineup…
“We knew we had to shake something up. Sometimes, honestly, you hate to admit it as a coach, but sometimes you are trying to tick a guy off or two. You’re trying to make a statement. Let’s just throw this lineup out there and maybe it will ignite somebody, and it did. I thought Niels Lane was fantastic. He played thirteen minutes and was +14. You’re +14 and you take one shot in thirteen minutes, it’s a good example for all young people and even his teammates that you can affect the game in so many ways. His energy level in press and half court was evident. It’s crazy how one guy can bring it like that, and it can rub off on the next guy who can rub off on the next guy. But there’s no excuse that the five that start the game don’t play that way. That’s what we’re all aiming for of course. In 2021, you’re dealing with a lot more of this than ever before for so many reasons, especially with us with everything these guys are going through. You’re looking for consistency and I’m sure Mike’s talking to his guys about a lot of the same things. Proud of Niels and proud of Tuon (Gatkek). Tuon, about three days before school started, got on campus, committed over zoom, got to school, and he’s getting better and better. Comes with great energy. He’s got some stuff he’s obviously got to work on.”
#22 Tyree Appleby, Senior Guard
On how satisfying this win was…
“I think it’s great, you know. We’ve been through a lot of adversity. Our coaches preach that to us all the time, but we know what to do. We have to stay the course. We know if we stay the course and do what our coaches tell us to do, we’ll be fine.”
On White’s halftime speech…
“Soft. Soft. That’s all he said, soft. He said we weren’t playing, you know, to the best of our abilities. We’re a better defensively. We held the previous three teams to about 20 in the half. So, he knew what we could do, we just had to do it and step up. He just said we’re soft.”
On what was working for his 21-point performance…
“I think my team moving around, opening up easy access lanes for me, and pushing the ball. We’re just staying the course. Keeping them on their heels in the second half, I think that’s what really did it. But, that’s why I think all that we did was great.
On visiting Jitoboh earlier…
“His spirts are high still. We know he wanted to be out here with us, but we know, same thing that happened the year before, we just have to stay the course. Just keep high spirits and stay positive.”
#24 Phlandrous Fleming Jr., Grad. Guard
On how satisfying this win was…
“This is a great group of guys, man. Great character, strong, and like he said, we’ve been through crazy stuff- adversities. We’re built for it. We’re just trying to build off of this.”
On stepping up the defense…
“That’s kind of our identity. In the first half we weren’t showing that. We were laying down, we weren’t being aggressive on defense, we weren’t rotating well, we weren’t boxing. I think in the second half we got back to who we’re supposed to be and giving pressure and actually sitting down and guarding.”
On Gatkek and Lane…
“Next man up, that’s the only thing we can do. Like I said, we’re facing adversity. They told us before the game, if everyone did something that, one thing better than they have in the past. Niels [Lane] and Tun [Gatkek] stepped up. They haven’t gotten as many minutes as they’ve wanted, but today they came in and make a great impact on the game.”
