In Florida’s highest scoring game of the season, the Gators (4-4) defeated the Yale Bulldogs (8-3) 85-47 in the O’Connell Center on Monday night.
A solid first half performance, in which Florida shot 67.7 percent from the field and held the Bulldogs to just 30.4 percent, proved what coach Billy Donovan has known all season long: his team can show up for the first half, it’s the second half that has not been such a done deal — except for this time.
"I thought that they put together a complete game together with intensity," Donovan said. "I thought we played to our identity offensively. When we don’t do that, we really struggle to score."
Monday’s victory continued Florida’s team and Donovan’s personal streak of never having lost to an Ivy League team in the O’Connell Center. Florida’s all time record against Ivy Leagues improved to 8-2.
Donovan stuck with his Kansas starting lineup: freshman forward Devin Robinson, redshirt junior forward Dorian Finney-Smith, senior center Jon Horford, sophomore guard Kasey Hill and junior guard Michael Frazier.
At the 4:51 minute mark of the first half, Hill gave the Gators a 15-point lead over Yale with a scrappy dunk off a steal. After Hill’s steal and shot, Florida led 31-14 and things only heated up from there.
At halftime, Florida’s 26 point lead over the Bulldogs was the greatest halftime lead the Gators have held so far this season — with the closest being the 24 point lead they held over William & Mary on Nov. 14.
Both Florida and Yale managed 14 rebounds each in the first half but Florida won the steal battle, tallying seven and allowing Yale none. The Gators scored five times off their seven first half steals.
After halftime, the Gators came back onto their home court earlier than usual and with a vengeance.
They allowed Yale to score just 27 points in the final 20 minutes, while Florida added 39 points to its total.
About three minutes into the second half the Gators lost starter Frazier after he took a shot to the head. After a few moments on the floor holding his face in pain, he got up with the assistance of a Florida coaching staff member and left the court. Frazier said he went to the locker room to get checked for a concussion, but returned with eight minutes left to play when he was cleared.
"I was a little bit concerned just when Frazier went down, and I know the game was a little bit out of control at that point," Donovan said.
Frazier ended Monday night with a game leading 18 points in 22 minutes played.
A buzzer-beater from Chiozza at five minutes in, put the Gators at an even 60, 35 points ahead of Yale. A dunk from Walker, his second of the game, followed. Walker ended the night with three dunks, a career high 13 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes played.
Finney-Smith ended the game with 14 points and five rebounds.
Hill led the game and team in assists with 10 of Florida’s 18 total.
"It’s the first game we came out and played for 40 minutes," Finney-Smith said. "Even in practice, we can’t play for 30 minutes. We can’t play for 25 minutes. We’ve got to play for 40 minutes."
By the last minute of the game Donovan had three walk-ons and two freshman running the court with a solid 36 point lead.
Freshman Robinson started his second consecutive game against the Bulldogs, clocking 30 minutes and totaling 9 points and six rebounds.
Fellow freshman Chiozza was right behind with eight points, three rebounds and two steals.
Kurtz scored a career high 10 points and shot 100 percent from the field in 25 minutes played.
"We just came in focused," Kurtz said. "We can’t get the past back. We can’t get those games back. We’ve just got to continue moving forward, working hard in practice, and we were able to put up 40 minutes tonight."
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.
