Some post-game comments:
Donovan was not very pleased with his team's effort and intensity, which obviously showed when he benched 4 of the 5 starters about three minutes in. He talked a lot about how his young team has no reference point to the past, to years like 1996 and 1997 when UF wasn't all that great.
Jonathan Mitchell was very happy in his interviews. He was pleased to have a chance to show what he's capable of and glad to see the shots were following.
The other thing Donovan was concerned about was consistency and this branched off from a question about Mitchell. Donovan just doesn't know what he'll get from him the next time out. Donovan said last year if these sophomores (excluding Hodge) didn't practice or play with intensity, it didn't factor into the game's outcome. This year that's obviously different.
As I mentioned earlier, look for complete coverage from tonight's game in tomorrow's Alligator.
Adios.
LIVE GAME BLOG:
And that's all folks. UF defeats Stetson 71-48.
Marreese Speights led the Gators in scoring with 15, while Jonathan Mitchell was the only other UF player in double-digits with 10.
The Hatters gave them a test early on, but couldn't keep things going past the first few minutes.
Look for complete coverage in tomorrow's Alligator.
We've hit the last media timeout here in Gainesville and the Gators continue to cruise with a 71-48 lead against Stetson with 48.1 seconds left.
Jonathan Mitchell has set a new career high for points, sinking a 3-pointer from the right wing to give him 10 for the game.
Update on Adam Allen: He has rejoined the rest of his team on the bench but has not returned to the floor, and probably will not considering the blowout nature of this game.
Speights has started to really dominate here in the second half as he just hit a turnaround baseline jumper with 6:50 remaining to put the Gators up 64-38.
This one is all but in the bag here in the O'Dome as the Gators lead 62-36 as we've reached the under eight minutes media timeout.
The band's playing "You Can Call Me Al" and the writers are hastily beginning their game stories.
Guess we couldn't expect much of a game from a Stetson team who's two wins have come against Palm Beach Atlantic and Bethune Cookman.
Marreese Speights just followed from behind on a 4-on-1 Stetson fastbreak and got a pretty nasty bock that got the crowd's attention. And now Speights just hit about a 12-footer from the left baseline to give the Gators a 59-34 advantage with 8:35 remaining.
In an interesting note, Dan Werner, who scored 9 points on 3 of 5 shooting in the first half, has not attempted a field goal so far, with almost 10 minutes gone in the 2nd half.
Adam Allen has now left the bench and is headed to the locker room it seems, at the 11:20 mark in the second half.
With 11:02 remaining, it's a 54-31 UF lead.
Adam Allen just took a hard fall after driving to the lane and being fouled, but he got up pretty quickly and made one of two free-throws before Calathes came into the game for him. Gators lead 52-29 with 11:53 left.
What has happened to Chandler Parsons? After having a subpar effort against Florida State, the freshman hasn't looked all that great tonight either.
Alex Tyus just slammed one down from the right baseline despite being fouled by J.J. Hirst. and made the free-throw to complete the 3-point play.
UF had been playing mostly man in the second half, but hace switched back to the 2-3.
With 15:45 to play, UF leads 45-23.
0 has returned.
Jonathan Mitchell checked back into the game for Dan Werner with 16:10 remaining.
He just lobbed a pass into Alex Tyus, but Tyus had the ball stripped away as he went up.
The good passing continues as Werner found Calathes cutting backdoor. Calathes made the layup and was fouled. He completed the 3-point play and the Gators now lead 45-23 with 16:23 remaining.
Alex Tyus checked into the ball game at 16:43 mark for Marreese Speights.
Calathes just thread the needle into Speights who put it up and was fouled. He made the free-throw to put the Gators p 42-23 with 17:05 remaining.
Stetson has just called timeout with 17:23 remaining with UF leading 39-21.
It's been a pretty boring opening to the second half, with only 4 points being scored in the opening minutes.
In case you're wondering, Mitchell's 7 points tie his career high, although he is not on the floor to start the second half.
UF opens the second half with the starting five - Werner, Calathes, Speights, Hodge, Lucas.
We've reached halftime here in the O'Connell Center and UF has opened the lead to 35-21
Jai Lucas just hit a runner down on the right baseline to give the Gators their 14-point advantage.
Nick Calathes has looked a little off his game after being benched against Florida State Friday. The freshman has looked hesitant in the opened 20 minutes.
Your first half MVP for UF would have to be Dan Werner who leads all Gators with 9 points and 5 rebounds.
There's been a Jonathan Mitchell sighting. The sophomore forward has already contributed 7 points, having just made a 3-pointer, and the Gators now lead 27-19 with 3:26 to go in the half.
Mitchell did just pick up his 2nd foul, however, so we'll see how long Donovan leaves him in. It's probably close to Mitchell's season-high in minutes.
Werner also has 7 points so far so it's an odd couple up at the top of the scoring colum for the Gators.
Mitchell has left the floor after the media timeout, so it's Calathes, Werner, Lucas, Hodge and Speights in for the Gators.
The Hatters aren't completely letting this one get away, but UF has opened the lead to 20-14 at the 7:04 mark.
Dan Werner has already made two 3-pointers. He's already tied his season-high of 3-pointers made.
Marreese Speights has begun to assert himself down low, although he just took an ill-advised 15-footer when he has a pretty decent height advantage against the Hatters.
The gameplan seems to be to get the ball down low to Speights and he did make back-to-back buckets from the low block a few minutes ago.
UF has pushed back to a 2-3 zone.
Well, hold that note. With 11:42 to play, the Gators have come back to take a 13-12 lead
UF just went on a 7-0 run coming out of the media timeout, prompting Stetson coach Derek Waugh to call timeout.
Dan Werner hit a 3-pointer, Nick Calathes drove the lane, and then Walter Hodge made a fastbreak lay-up off a Marreese Speights steal. And now Speights just took a charge.
Stetson went on a 8-1 run to open the game.
UF did not make a field goal until a Jonathan Mitchell putback on an Adam Allen airball on a 3-pointer at around the 14:55 mark.
With 13:11 left, the Hatters lead the Gators 12-6.
