Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p><span>Michael Frazier II attempts a layup during Florida's win against Yale on Monday in the O'Connell Center.</span></p>

Michael Frazier II attempts a layup during Florida's win against Yale on Monday in the O'Connell Center.

SUNRISE, Fla. — Billy Donovan was managing quite a few spinning plates at the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday.

Florida (7-4) was down one man with Eli Carter out, added transfer Alex Murphy into the rotation for the first time ever and had to work around a bloody head injury for starter junior guard Michael Frazier.

But Donovan’s team responded as the Gators rallied together for a 63-50 win against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-6), which extended Florida to a four-game winning streak.

The Deacons were without projected starting guard Mitchell Wilbekin, who was sidelined for breaking NCAA rules.

“There are no excuse from us,” Wake Forest coach Danny Manning said. “What we have out there on the court, we expect them to get the job done.”

The freshman guard and younger brother of former Gator Scottie Wilbekin, leads the Demon Deacons in three-point shooting efficiency with .425 percent.

Though Donovan conceded that Saturday night was not a perfect Florida performance, he said the Gators’ win was a product of showing the fight they’ve been lacking earlier in the season.

“This was Miami, this was Georgetown, this was Kansas…before you know it, we crumble,” Donovan said. “I thought our guys, to be honest with you, when it got down to one (point), for the first time this year, when it’s been like that, I saw some internal fight in them. That was encouraging, to me.”

With seven minutes left to play Wake Forest had come within one point of tying with the Gators. A three-point shot from freshman Chris Chiozza gave the Gators some breathing room. A lay-up from sophomore Chris Walker immediately after pushed Florida to a six point lead over Wake Forest’s 45 points with 5:50 left to play. From there Florida only extended its lead to a final 13 points over Wake Forest.

Florida starters looked a little different as junior guard Eli Carter sat out with strep throat. Donovan said Carter has lost 13 pounds as he’s been battling the sickness and so he believed there was no way he could play Eli. Carter was courtside but not in uniform during Saturday’s game.

Freshman forward Devin Robinson junior forward Dorian Finney-Smith, senior center Jon Horford, sophomore guard Kasey Hill and Frazier started the game against Wake Forest.

Frazier, who played just seven minutes in the first, was helped off the court by Florida trainer at the 11:13 mark when he collided chin-to-head with Wake Forest’s Aaron Roundtree.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox

“I never doubted, I knew that once they put the stitches in I’d be able to play,” Frazier said.

Fourteen stitches, a concussion test and a half hour later, Frazier started the second half for Florida. Frazier played the full 20 minutes of the second half, and notched seven points in that time. He ended the night as the bowl’s most outstanding player with a total of 12 points, 2 rebounds and an assist.

Mid-year transfer from Duke Alex Murphy suited up for his Florida debut and he did not go unnoticed. The redshirt junior forward subbed in at the 17:15 mark, scored a lay-up 20 seconds later and gave the Gators a two-point lead. A minute after that, Murphy made a block preventing Wake Forest from extending its one-point lead. Murphy notched two blocks, two steals, four rebounds and nine points in 27 minutes played.

“For him, he’s looking ‘Well how do I fit in? Where do I fit in? What’s my role?’ you know what I mean. It’s his first game and he hasn’t played in a year,” Donovan said. “I thought he played great. The best part about him…is he has got a real good feel and he can play multiple different positions.”

Follow Erica A. Hernandez on Twitter @EricaAlyssa

Michael Frazier II attempts a layup during Florida's win against Yale on Monday in the O'Connell Center.

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.