After three straight conference losses, senior guard Chris Chiozza — leader of the reeling Florida men’s basketball team — is ready to see some changes take place during the second half of SEC play.
With slightly over seven minutes remaining in Monday night’s game, Florida held a one-point lead over No. 15 Missouri. However, when the last shot missed the rim and the contest went final, the Gators dropped their eighth SEC game of the season and their third straight conference game against a ranked opponent.
Down by two with 10 seconds remaining, Florida guard Funda Nakkasoglu circled to the right-side corner. She picked up her dribble after her defender stepped up. Five seconds left. Nakkasoglu made an outlet pass to teammate Delicia Washington, who instantly felt the presence of a Missouri player in her face. Three seconds left. Washington gave up the ball to forward Haley Lorenzen at the top of the key, who heaved a desperation three-pointer from well beyond the arc.
A common approach to sports is to “control the controllables.” Teams can only focus on their own effort and attention to detail. They have no way of affecting their opponent’s preparation.
For Florida women’s basketball players Haley Lorenzen and Funda Nakkasoglu, there’s one phrase that comes to mind to describe the past week.
When the Florida men’s basketball team isn’t hitting shots, things get ugly.
Alabama forward Braxton Key received a pass inside the three-point line and immediately drove toward the basket. He powered through the Florida’s defense, converting a contested layup with 7:29 left in the second half to cap off an 11-0 run for the Crimson Tide.
Mike White walked into the media room of Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday not sure how to answer questions about his team’s shooting woes at the end of a 72-60 loss to Georgia.
At its best, the Florida men’s basketball team’s offense is an explosive, high-scoring machine capable of hitting shots from anywhere on the court.
Florida men’s basketball coach Mike White has said all season that one of his team’s shortcomings is its ability to play with consistency. Facing Georgia in Athens on Tuesday, the Gators continued that trend, suffering a loss several days after a big win for the third time this month.
With just under five minutes left in the game, Georgia forward Yante Maten received a pass at the top of the key.
Georgia forward Yante Maten posted up and overpowered then-Florida forward Justin Leon, rising up for a point-blank, uncontested layup.
Before Paulina Hersler came to UF, the graduate transfer started only two games at UCLA and averaged under 11 minutes per game. Now, at a new program under a new head coach, the forward from Sweden has shined throughout the season, playing well in the paint and stretching the floor with her ability to shoot the ball from long range.
Chris Chiozza dribbled to the top of the key and made a deep jump shot over Baylor's Manu Lecomte, opening Florida' scoring against the Bears on Saturday. On the ensuing possession, Chiozza stole the ball from forward Tristan Clark, sprinted down the court and found teammate Egor Koulechov for a three-pointer in transition.
As the final seconds ticked away in the third quarter, Florida clung to a five-point lead. With Georgia dribbling out the clock for the final shot of the period, UF guard Funda Nakkasoglu and forward Haley Lorenzen double-teamed Georgia’s Que Morrison and forced a turnover. Nakkasoglu grabbed the loose ball, raced down the court and banked in a buzzer-beating layup.
Chris Chiozza pulled up to the right side of three-point line seven minutes into the second half and released a shot. As the ball fell through the basket to extend Florida’s lead to 15, a packed O’Connell Center erupted with cheers.
It was sink or swim for the Florida women's basketball team as it hit the road to play against the second-ranked team in the nation on Thursday.
Mike White stood in front of reporters on Thursday morning and was immediately asked about the amount of breakdowns Florida had in its three-point defense against South Carolina on Wednesday.
As senior forward Haley Lorenzen pulled down her final rebound Sunday afternoon against Ole Miss, there were no opponents around her. Her boxout created enough space to take one step to her right, elevate and bank home the eventual game-winning score with 27 seconds left on the clock.
In the No. 20 Florida men’s basketball team’s 77-72 loss to South Carolina on Wednesday, three-point defense and poor shooting down the stretch resulted in a sloppy conference defeat, UF’s second of the season.
Solutions by The State News
