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<p>UF center John Egbunu goes up for a dunk during Florida's 89-42 win against Palm Beach Atlantic in an exhibition game on Nov. 5, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.</p>

UF center John Egbunu goes up for a dunk during Florida's 89-42 win against Palm Beach Atlantic in an exhibition game on Nov. 5, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.

A new chapter of Florida basketball tipped off on Thursday night under head coach Mike White.

The Gators got off on the right foot and displayed a lot of potential that could contribute to the success of this team as the regular season plays out.

Florida’s fast-paced offense and high-pressure defense that White has been preaching all summer were evident from the opening tip, as the Gators defeated Palm Beach Atlantic 89-42 in the exhibition match.

“We played with a lot of intensity,” White said. “I thought our press and our pressure were very big factors in the game, the biggest factors in my opinion, so to force 30 (turnovers) against anyone is a positive.”

With the high pace that Florida displayed, which it wants to sustain all season, a high number of turnovers is not too surprising.

The Gators committed 23 turnovers in the win, but made up for it with 18 steals, another product of the high intensity defense. White knows, however, that the turnovers need to decrease.

“Twenty-three turnovers, that’s scary,” White said. “We weren’t very happy about that.”

And while turnovers were a problem, Florida’s most glaring issue came at the charity stripe. The Gators shot a lowly 37 percent from the free throw line, 10-27.

The Gators’ offense, though, did not suffer, and the potential immediate impact of the new faces on Florida’s roster also showed in the win. The Gators shot 57.6 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. Freshman guard KeVaughn Allen was in the starting lineup and proved to be the scoring threat that Florida was hoping for. Allen scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor to accompany a game-high five steals, setting the tone early for the Gators’ offense.

“I think (KeVaughn) did real well,” junior Kasey Hill said. “He wasn’t nervous at all, he looked a lot (more) comfortable than what he has been, versus the first scrimmage, and he played well. He’s gonna give us some great energy, a lot of threes, he’s fast, he can get in the passing lanes, so he’s gonna play well for us this year.”

Redshirt sophomore center John Egbunu, also playing his first game as a Gator, provided strong contributions on both ends of the floor.

The USF transfer finished with a team-high 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks in 20 minutes on the court.

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“This was his first time playing in a game like this in a long time,” White said of Egbunu, who sat out last year due to NCAA transfer rules. “You see glimpses of what he could be more consistently. He’s a really talented guy who we expect big things from.”

All 16 players on Florida’s roster saw playing time on Thursday night, speaking to the depth of the Gators’ bench at virtually every position. But with redshirt senior Alex Murphy leaving the game after he appeared to injure his right foot, White may have to utilize that depth quicker than he thought.

Murphy needed assistance getting off the court and did not return to the game.

Even considering the Division II opponent, Florida showed on Thursday night that it will be able to score efficiently and get plenty of production from a deep bench.

The Gators’ regular season tips off on Friday, Nov. 13, in Annapolis, Maryland, as Florida takes on Navy. It will be the first opportunity for White to get his first career win – or loss – as the Gators’ head coach.

“Probably more relief that preseason’s over, and we’re ready to play a real one,” White said. “Excited about playing at Navy, excited about the experience that our guys will go through.”

 Follow Alex Maminakis on Twitter @alexmaminakis

UF center John Egbunu goes up for a dunk during Florida's 89-42 win against Palm Beach Atlantic in an exhibition game on Nov. 5, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.

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