For two months, Florida coach Billy Donovan has seen his patience dwindle.
Tuesday night in the O’Connell Center, 10,506 people finally witnessed it run out.
The first Gators to go were starting center Patric Young and forward Erik Murphy. They left for the bench just 3:08 into Florida’s 70-48 win against Georgia. It was the earliest the pair had been yanked this season.
“Enough,” Donovan said. “Erik Murphy can’t forget to block out and he can’t be late rotating. And Patric can’t jump through the air to block shots and leave … We’ve talked about enough of that already. It’s time to move forward because we’re in league play.”
During the rest of the game, 38 more substitutions were paraded on and off the court.
Some were made due to foul trouble, but the majority, especially in the second half, can only be blamed on missed defensive assignments and mental lapses. All too familiar characteristics of the Gators’ mystifying road struggles in four losses this season.
“I’m at a point right now after the Tennessee game where if guys don’t block out, guys don’t do the things they need to do, they’re coming out of the game,” he said.
Donovan issued the challenge to his team during its practices immediately following last Saturday’s 11-point loss to the previously .500 Volunteers, a team that has dropped games against Austin Peay, College of Charleston and Oakland.
Against the Bulldogs, the Gators came close to staying the aggressor for a full 40 minutes, but their focus was still not at the level that is needed to consistently win on the road in the SEC, or against any quality opponent for that matter.
Florida held a 25-point lead on Georgia midway through the second before a 16-4 run by UGA – the worst offensive team in the league – cut the advantage to 13 with seven minutes left.
The momentary collapse should serve as a reminder of what happened three days earlier.
“Every challenge [coach Donovan] brings to the table, we embrace it,” said Mike Rosario, a redshirt junior guard. “Because it’s a step to get better in life and also is a step to get more mature as a man. When you’ve got to take on challenges and be responsible for your actions, that says a lot about you as a man.”
Florida will be traveling to Columbia, S.C., on Saturday for its fifth road game and second within the SEC. To keep his team mentally focused, Donovan knows he found a quick fix against Georgia — several physical, harrowing days of scrimmages.
But as for what technique he will use to inspire the Gators against the Gamecocks, Donovan is currently at a loss.
“Those are things I’ve got to help those guys with in terms of getting them prepared,” Donovan said. “How I go about that? What do I do? I don’t know.”
Until he discovers a way to prolong Florida’s moments of emotionally inspired basketball, the Gators are still at risk for another embarrassing loss.
Contact John Boothe at jboothe@alligator.org.
