SUNRISE - Maybe it was the refreshing, sunny South Florida weather, maybe it was the four-day break for Christmas, or maybe it was playing a 1-9 team, but UF looked as good as it had all season with a 74-45 flattening of Winthrop on Sunday night in the Orange Bowl Classic.
UF (10-2) and Winthrop (1-10) played a completely non-competitive first half, with the Gators heading to the locker room up 53-11.
The meager 11 points Winthrop scored tied the record for fewest points allowed in a half by UF under coach Billy Donovan.
By that point in the game, the stands were beginning to empty.
The Gators started the game on a 22-0 run, and it took the Eagles nearly six and a half minutes to make their first basket. UF also held leads of 36-4 and 50-7 in the first half.
"We're up 20-something to nothing," said forward Dan Werner. "It's definitely probably the best we ever started, including my freshman year, too."
The Miami Dolphins' season-ending game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., was generating more interest in the stands halfway through the first period of the UF game. When the Dolphins defeated the Jets just before halftime and the public address announcer informed the crowd, the cheer was louder than at any point in the basketball contest.
The UF defense was clicking as well as the offense. The Gators held Winthrop to just 20 percent (5 of 25) shooting in the opening period, and the Eagles didn't hit a 3-pointer.
Sophomore forward Chandler Parsons hit his first three 3-pointers within the first four minutes of the game. Coming into the contest, the sophomore was shooting just 9 of 38 from long range.
"We should let him go back to Orlando a bit more," Werner said.
Parsons earned the game's MVP award and ended the contest with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists.
The Gators came out sloppy in the second half, though, evidenced by their attitude during the halftime warm-ups. In the middle of warm-ups, sophomore guard Nick Calathes ran toward the sideline to high-five a young fan in orange and blue.
That attitude carried into the second half, where UF was outscored 34-21.
"Even though a lot of guys look up at the score, and we're blowing 'em out, so we think we can take plays off," said center Alex Tyus. "Winthrop's a great team, so they can start to come back."
The Gators went from 56 percent shooting in the first half to just 32 percent in the second.
Freshman Eloy Vargas, who had not played all season while recovering from bone spur surgery on his right heel, saw his first action of the year with two minutes left in the first half.
Vargas did not record any points, but made it onto the stat sheet with two attempted shots and an offensive rebound.
"I'm sure he was uptight and he was 0 for 4 from the field," Donovan said. "But he battled and banged, and it was just good for his first (game). I didn't really have high level of expectation on how he was gonna perform. I'm just happy that the game was such that we were able to throw him in there and give him at least a little bit of a look."
Vargas also game into the second half with under seven minutes remaining. He made a larger impact his second time around, blocking a Winthrop shot his first defensive opportunity while Donovan was playing five freshmen.
"He was anxious to play and finally got his chance," said center Alex Tyus. "He really hustled, so that shows good promise."
Vargas finished the game with 1 point off a free throw, two rebounds, a block and a steal.
"We need every big guy we can get, to be honest," Calathes said. "There's some big guys in the (Southeastern Conference) that we're gonna be facing."
UF takes on Stetson back in Gainesville on Tuesday in their last game of the calendar year.
Florida State and Western Kentucky played in the first game of the Classic, with the Seminoles coming out on top, 82-69.
