The words began synchronously, as if each player had the same message delivered to them just moments before, and as if each player was still hesitant to heap praise on a win that didn’t feel much like a real victory.
"If we turn the ball over that much against a good team," Dorian Finney-Smith said, "we’ll be down 20 points."
"The game shouldn’t have been that close," Devin Robinson said.
"We’ve got to do a lot better," Kasey Hill said.
The common sentiment after Florida’s 89-42 win over Division II Palm Beach Atlantic on Thursday was not of elation.
It was of dissatisfaction.
"We’ve got a ways to go," coach Mike White said.
It was a 47-point victory that showcased Florida’s upside — athletic wings, a potentially elite shot blocker, and young, talented perimeter players.
It also showcased where the Gators have room to improve, just as White predicted during the preseason.
While beginning to install Florida’s up-tempo offense in October, White said most of the team’s growth must occur during the season rather than in the days leading up to it.
It must occur as the Gators fine-tune their fast-paced offense against outside competition, not against each other in the safe confines of a practice facility.
"This team has that scary word," White said of UF’s potential. "We’re definitely not there, and we’re far from it, but we have the potential to get there and be competitive in this league."
The primary focus in the Gators’ pursuit of growth will be limiting their turnovers.
After seeing their offense operate first-hand against another team, players were faced with the obvious flaws of an up-tempo system if not run correctly.
"It’s so hard because you’re playing so fast," Hill said.
"Coach wants you to get down the court and get to the basket, but you have to understand that sometimes you have to put your brakes on and slow down a little bit."
In its opener against Navy on Friday, and in the coming weeks, Florida will look to perfect White’s system.
After all, it has been proven to work.
In his last year as coach at Louisiana Tech, the Bulldogs finished first in their conference in turnover margin (+4.75) and 39th in the nation in turnovers per game.
The Bulldogs tied with national champion Duke in turnovers per game and were four spots ahead of elite-eight team Arizona and 123 spots above last year’s Florida squad.
Naturally, for White, Florida’s 23 turnovers on Thursday were unacceptable.
"He wants us to run fast, but also when we have the ball to take care of it. It’s tough," said Robinson, who led UF with five turnovers.
"Obviously we didn’t get the grasp of it yet, but sooner or later we gotta take care of the ball."
Early injury woes: After suffering an injury early in Florida's 89-42 exhibition win, redshirt senior forward Alex Murphy did not return to the game.
On Friday, the Gators announced Murphy would miss four to six weeks after suffering a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his right foot.
Follow Ian Cohen on Twitter @icohenb
UF's Kasey Hill passes during Florida's 89-42 exhibition win against Palm Beach Atlantic on Nov. 5, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.
