Florida’s 13th straight victory of the 2024-25 college basketball season was never in doubt against Stetson on Sunday. The Gators outshot the Hatters, 85-45, holding a double-digit lead from the 13-minute mark in the first quarter.
Alijah Martin led all scorers with 18 points despite missing seven three pointers. Will Richard put up 17 on 8-for-11 shooting but was 1-for-4 from three. Walter Clayton Jr. he only scored 12 points but it was a good 4-for-5 performance. Clayton played more minutes than the big three with 28, giving the bench more freedom in the final non-conference game of the regular season.
Sam Alexis was Florida’s most impressive big man, grabbing 12 rebounds. He moved well to the basket but couldn’t finish most of his looks near the rim. Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh both added seven rebounds but combined for just nine points.
It’s sloppy but works well in the first half
Maybe the holidays are to blame, but Florida didn’t play its first half clean against Stetson. The Gators turned the ball over seven times even though the Hatters only forced three steals. Sloppy passing and rushing possessions led to several unforced errors, but Florida held Stetson to just four points from the opposition.
Will Richard was the worst offender, turning the ball over four times in the first 20 minutes. Alex Condon also pitched twice, and Denzel Aberdeen had one conversion.
Richard has improved a lot as a defender, both on and off the ball, but he is not much of a footballer. He often misjudges the ball on the break and should look to score as soon as he receives a pass. Both Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin have matured as the first ball handlers this season, so there is no reason for Richard to carry the ball when he comes to play in the SEC. He’s a great runner and he gets his three-pointer as well.
Florida also pushed for other changes
No key stats in this game stand out, but Florida’s 12 steals are a program high. It was a dominant game on the boards and in the assist column, but nothing deviates from Florida’s form against these Quadrant 3 and 4 programs.
Forcing double-digit steals is notable, however. Only 17 teams in the country average 10 or more steals per game, and while Florida trails that number at 8.5 a game, adding 23 over the past two games proves this team is working. hard to defend.
Todd Golden entered the year looking for a top-20 defensive end. Florida entered today’s tournament at No. 18 overall, and holding the Hatters to just 45 points will help in that regard. If the Gators can clean up their turnover numbers and continue to steal the ball at a high rate against the SEC, this is a team that will destroy the NCAA Tournament.
That’s part of the non-conference game
These 40 point wins are boring, aren’t they?
It’s always nice to see a good team win, but Florida’s season has always been about beating Quadrant 1 and 2 programs, not Quadrant 3s and 4s. Golden built the team to compete in March, but stepping up to North Florida and Stetson doesn’t really prove much.
No loss over two months is impressive, no doubt, but getting out of the SEC will make Florida a team to be feared coming into the tournament. With non-conference play, it’s time to see what this team can do.
Bring on the SEC!
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