Florida head coach Todd Golden watched his team take down the Vanderbilt giants.
Commodores fifth-year forward Liam Robbins hit a three-pointer without his feet off the ground. As with his shot, the second half of the game felt out of reach for the Gators.
The Florida Gators (14-15, 7-9 SEC) lost to the Vanderbilt Commodores (16-13, 9-7 SEC) 88-72 at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday. UF shot 43% from the floor, while Vanderbilt was able to shoot over 40% from the floor and 3-point range.
Florida has now lost 6 of their last 7 games.
Gators senior forwards Jason Zitbo and Robbins exchanged baskets with each other to start the game.
However, the Commodores matched the Gators’ offense and controlled a single possession lead in the first five minutes of the first half.
UF were 63% off the floor when the first media timeout was called with 14 minutes remaining in the first half. Florida freshman guard Riley Kugel (ending with 20 points) scored seven points before suspension.
This game is his second consecutive 20-point game from Orlando, Florida.
Freshman Alex Szymczyk, sophomore forward Alex Fudge and guard Cowassy Reeves checked into the game after the break.
Vanderbilt took advantage of UF’s reserves to continue their 7-0 run over the next two minutes. Kugel knocked down his 3-pointer and put Florida back on the board with his 20-15.
UF’s perimeter game regained the lead midway through the first half. After the Commodores turned the ball over, Simczyk drilled a three-pointer to put the Gators within three, 23–20.
Florida wasn’t the only team to use boundaries effectively.
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Vanderbilt went 7-16 over the first half arc. However, the Gators’ defense struggled when the Commodores began attacking the basket late in the first half.
Vanderbilt’s durable offense forced UF to switch to a man-to-man defense. Florida used to play in the 2-3 zone before the change.
Both teams’ offenses stalled after Vanderbilt junior guard Tyrin Lawrence scored a three-pointer to give the Commodores a 43-32 lead three minutes before halftime.
Florida graduate guard Kyle Lofton hit a triple when the first-half buzzer sounded to tie the Gators to 10, 46-36.
Vanderbilt, averaging 41.8% field goals per game, shot 53% in the first half compared to 39% for the Gators.
Lofton and Kugel shouldered the UF attack. The duo entered the break with 13 points each. The Florida bench managed to score just 6 points. The reserves finished the game with 20 total points.
The team went scoreless in the first minute and a half after the break. Robbins broke the spell with a midrange jumper.
Momentum shifted early in the second half to the Commodores, who led 50–36.
Florida didn’t score until senior guard Milleon Jones hit a jumper three-and-a-half minutes into the first half. UF allowed five unanswered points before Penn State’s transfer basket.
Gators sophomore guard Will Richard tried to keep Florida in the game. The 6-foot-4-inch guard scored 7 points in a span of a minute and a half, a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from the top of the key that brought the Gators within 11 of him.
UF big men Jitoboh and Szymczyk got into foul trouble. The forwards committed four fouls each by halfway through the half.
Florida’s deficit remained in double digits as Kugel hit a layup with eight minutes remaining to cut the Commodores’ lead to 67-58.
The Gators continued to fight from behind by consistently hammering into the paint, but Robbins couldn’t miss.
Using everything in his arsenal, the 7-footer matched two straight UF baskets with two of his own. Robbins followed Reeves’ free throw with a triple. The 3-pointer started his 6-0 run for Vanderbilt. The Commodore never looked back.
The Iowa State product finished the game with 18 points, 5 blocks and 9 rebounds.
Vanderbilt started bleeding the clock with three minutes remaining and made five of their final seven field goals to beat Florida 88-72.
The Gators will play their final road game of the regular season against the Georgia Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Stegemann Coliseum in Athens, Georgia. The game will be broadcast on the SEC network.
To contact Brandon Hernandez: bhernandez@alligator.orgfollow him on twitter @Bran H2001.
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Brandon Hernandez is a journalism student at the University of Florida. He’s a writer for The Alligator, Gator Country, and He’s PlugTalk Sports. Most of his work can be found on his Twitter (BranH2001) and his Spotify podcast “The Courtside Podcast”.
