THREE-POINT WEEK IN REVIEW

TAKE A BOW

Al Pinkins , the day before UF's home date Saturday against Missouri. Pinkins didn't take long to answer. He motioned toward the far end of the court where a certain backup guard/forward was getting up some extra shots. "I'd like to see that guy keep it going," he said. Pinkins was pointing at Jalen Hudson . Think about where the Gators were while Hudson, the fifth-year senior swingman was floundering through at barely six points a game at the midpoint of the Southeastern Conference slate. But after scoring in double figures just six times through the previous 22 games, Hudson has averaged 11.2 points over the last five, the last four being UF victories. During that stretch, he's shooting 41.3 percent from the floor versus just under 27 percent before that. Over the past three games, Hudson is 5-for-14 from the 3-point line. That's 35.7 percent. If that number prompts a mere shoulder shrug, consider he was 19 of 87 from deep before that — 21.8 percent — and failed to hit a trey in the four games prior to his recent three-game run. He's also rebounding and defending better than any time during his two UF seasons, with his team-best plus-10 against Missouri perhaps a testament to that. Because Hudson's game has been on the upswing of late, the Gators have been able to withstand recent cold snaps from shooting guard Noah Locke , who replaced Hudson in the starting lineup back at Thanksgiving, and stay in games while leading scorer/volume shooter KeVaughn Allen has fought first-half funks the last couple outings. Hudson, for whatever reason, still is not the scorer he was a year ago — 15.5 points per game, 45.5 percent overall, 40.4 from deep — but he's playing his best basketball this season at time when the Gators need it most. Maybe, just maybe, he's getting there. Imagine the possibilities if, maybe, just maybe, even better basketball from Hudson lies ahead. It might be before or after a practice, maybe during a team meal or while on a bus or plane ride, but sometimes I'll ask the Florida coaches which player needs to be really good to have a chance against the upcoming opponent. I played that game Friday afternoon with associate head coach, the day before UF's home date Saturday against Missouri. Pinkins didn't take long to answer. He motioned toward the far end of the court where a certain backup guard/forward was getting up some extra shots. "I'd like to see that guy keep it going," he said. Pinkins was pointing at. Think about where the Gators were while Hudson, the fifth-year senior swingman was floundering through at barely six points a game at the midpoint of the Southeastern Conference slate. But after scoring in double figures just six times through the previous 22 games, Hudson has averaged 11.2 points over the last five, the last four being UF victories. During that stretch, he's shooting 41.3 percent from the floor versus just under 27 percent before that. Over the past three games, Hudson is 5-for-14 from the 3-point line. That's 35.7 percent. If that number prompts a mere shoulder shrug, consider he was 19 of 87 from deep before that — 21.8 percent — and failed to hit a trey in the four games prior to his recent three-game run. He's also rebounding and defending better than any time during his two UF seasons, with his team-best plus-10 against Missouri perhaps a testament to that. Because Hudson's game has been on the upswing of late, the Gators have been able to withstand recent cold snaps from shooting guard, who replaced Hudson in the starting lineup back at Thanksgiving, and stay in games while leading scorer/volume shooterhas fought first-half funks the last couple outings. Hudson, for whatever reason, still is not the scorer he was a year ago — 15.5 points per game, 45.5 percent overall, 40.4 from deep — but he's playing his best basketball this season at time when the Gators need it most. Maybe, just maybe, he's getting there. Imagine the possibilities if, maybe, just maybe, even better basketball from Hudson lies ahead.

The Gators (from left: Andrew Nembhard, Kevaughn Allen, Kevarrius Hayes, Jalen Hudson and Keyontae Johnson) looked pretty good in their throwback 1994 uniforms Saturday.

OF CONCERN

Mike White said in his post-game news conference Saturday that the staff was worried about the potential of a post-LSU letdown. The coaches went heavy at the players since late Wednesday night about staying the course and reminded them over the next three days that nothing about this team or this season had been figured out; and that Missouri, despite that 3-10 league record coming in, was going to be a tough out. Well, the Gators can take some solace in the lesson they learned Saturday while still coming out with a narrow 64-60 victory — assuming they learned a lesson, that is. We'll know more this week, as the traits of human nature will be tested in far greater capacity as they face teams with worse records than Missouri. Read on. Coachsaid in his post-game news conference Saturday that the staff was worried about the potential of a post-LSU letdown. The coaches went heavy at the players since late Wednesday night about staying the course and reminded them over the next three days that nothing about this team or this season had been figured out; and that Missouri, despite that 3-10 league record coming in, was going to be a tough out. Well, the Gators can take some solace in the lesson they learned Saturday while still coming out with a narrow 64-60 victory — assuming they learned a lesson, that is. We'll know more this week, as the traits of human nature will be tested in far greater capacity as they face teams with worse records than Missouri. Read on.



GET READY

The last time Florida won at Vanderbilt the Gators needed Scottie Wilbekin, Patric Young, Casey Prather and Will Yeguete to do it. Guess what? Scottie and friends aren't walking through that Memorial Gymnasium door Wednesday night. UF has lost its last four visits to Vandy by six, one, two, and three points, respectively, and that includes defeats each of the last two seasons when the Gators took NCAA Tournament teams to Nashville. UF fell last season to a Vandy squad that went on to finish 12-20 overall and 6-12 in league play. Things are worse up there in 2019. The Commodores are 0-14 against the SEC this season, with nine losses by double-digits. In their Feb. 13 meeting in Gainesville, the Gators trailed by two at the half, led by just one with six minutes to go and ultimately fended off a 26-point, 9-rebound performance from freshman guard Aaron Nesmith to win, 66-57. Nothing can be taken for granted against a Commodores team that is not going to finish winless in an 18-game league season. Same with a home game next weekend against Georgia, which will start the week with eight straight losses overall and 12 straight in SEC play. The Bulldogs, whose lone league win came at home against the Commodores, lost two games this week by one point each, both to likely NCAA Tournament teams in Mississippi State (68-67) and Ole Miss (72-71). Right before those two losses, Georgia fell to first-place LSU by just four, 83-79. Just like Vandy isn't going winless, Coach Tom Crean's first UGA team is not going to finish 1-17. Beware of the cellar-dwellers this time of year.

CHARTING THE GATORS

Pct. Opponent Date FT-FTA Outcome The Buzz .926 @Ole Miss Feb. 20, 2010 25-27 W 64-61 Freshman Erving Walker 6-6 from line in final 41 seconds. .900 Vanderbilt Dec. 30, 2017 27-30 W 81-74 Egor Koulechov (10-10) as UF holds off second-half Vandy rally for first win in six games vs Commodores. .897 Vanderbilt Feb. 7, 2004 35-39 W 81-71 Gators go 25-for-26 from the line in the second half (96.1 percent) .881 @Auburn Feb. 14, 2017 37-42 W 114-95 Canyon Barry (11-12), KeVaughn Allen (9-10) almost perfect in Gators' record SEC scoring game. .871 vs Gonzaga Dec. 16, 2000 27-31 W 85-71 Udonis Haslem (27 points, 10 rebounds) goes 11-14 from line, rest of team 16 of 17 in Orange Bowl Classic at Sunrise, Fla. vs Villanova March 26, 2006 27-31 W 75-62 Joakim Noah (13-15), Taurean Green (12-13) in NCAA Midwest Region final at Minneapolis, as Gators clinch third Final Four berth in program history. vs Purdue March 18, 2007 27-31 W 74-67 UF shoots just 36 percent, trails by 2 at half, but FTs (11-12) keep Gators in it. Corey Brewer, Chris Richard, Green finish 18-18 combined in NCAA Sweet 16 win at New Orleans. .862 vs Miami Dec. 21, 2002 25-29 W 94-93 (2OT) Have a day, Matt Walsh. Freshman guard goes 7-10 from floor, 5-6 from arc, 14-14 from FT line (33 points) in first meeting vs. Hurricanes since 1990 at Sunrise. .853 @Arkansas Feb. 18, 2012 29-34 W 98-68 FTs were merely a subplot on night Gators went 13-23 from 3-pt line (9-14 in first half) and led 53-27 at intermission. .844 Georgia March 1, 2006 27-32 W 87-67 Noah scores career-high 37 points and with 19 FTs (on 22 attempts) breaks Neal Walk's 38-year-old single-game UF record of 18 (set in 1968). North Florida Nov. 8, 2013 27-32 W 77-69 Sluggish season opener to UF's last Final Four season, though forward Casey Prather erupts for career-high 28 points (8-11 from FT line). .833 Georgia Southern Dec. 19, 2004 30-36 W 100-68 Roberson 9-10 from line, while seldom-used freshman center, Noah, goes 8-9. Arkansas Feb. 3, 2016 30-36 W 87-83 KeVaughn Allen sinks two free throws with 5 seconds left in just another dastardly performance against his home-state school. @South Carolina Jan. 7, 2015 25-30 W 72-68 Eli Carter sinks a clutch pair with 6.4 seconds left to seal the win and elite FT performance just four days after going 8-20 in four-point home loss to UConn. Middle Tennessee Nov. 21, 2013 25-30 W 79-59 Eight different Gators make free throws, including walk-ons Jake Kurtz and young Billy Donovan. Missouri feb. 23, 2019 25-30 W 64-60 UF 16-for-19 from the stripe in the second half.

UF ALUM UPDATE

CATCHING UP WITH ... THE 1993-94 "FIND A WAYS"

PERSPECTIVE POLICE BEAT

(i.e. "Twitter Patter")

FREE THROWS

KeVaughn Allen

Florida has been mostly outstanding from the free-throw line this season, especially in SEC play. After making 25 of 30 in the win over Missouri, the Gators are now 71.7 percent on the season and 77.8 against conference opponents. Only twice in 14 league games has UF been under 70 percent as a team, with one of those a 5-for-10 afternoon in the home loss to Kentucky. In the six games since, Florida is 93-for-108 from the line. That's 86.1 percent. As for Saturday's 83.3-percent marksmanship against the Tigers, it rates as one of the best by the Gators over the last 20 seasons. In fact, if results of the last 20 seasons are any indication, when the Gators make at least 25 free throws and convert at at least an 83.3-percent rate, the odds are ... oh, say ... 100 percent that they'll win. At least that's what has happened since the turn of the century, as chronicled below.In the run-up to the Missouri game, with its "90s Night" theme and highlighted by the return and silver anniversary of the 1993-94 team, I did a couple lengthy stories on that trailblazing bunch; this one about their individual contributions that season; and this overview of that incredible NCAA Tournament run . They were the first in UF history to reach a Final Four. If you weren't around to experience it, it's probably difficult to truly appreciate what it meant to Florida fans everywhere.As for me, it was one thing reaching out and speaking to a few of those guys by phone the last few weeks. It was another thing altogether seeing them back in the O'Dome, watching their highlights video and taking that halftime bow 25 years later. Terrific stuff for a terrific group.Time passes, but memories like those never fade away.Thank you, '93-94s, for not just finding a way, but showing the way.Coaches are held accountable. Players are held accountable. Even senior writers are held accountable. This space is dedicated to holding the fans (and fan boys) on Twitter accountable. At times, we'll also recognize those who "get it" and acknowledge those who offer entertaining social media fodder, or (God forbid) the proper perspective.As mentioned above, been good for pretty much the whole season, but yes, stunningly on point of late.Not hard to explain. Missouri played a better first half. Sort of like when Florida played a better first half than some of its opponents earlier this season, then not as well in the second half and lost. It's sports. It happens.(Psst. ... Hey! Come here. ... Yeah, you. ... Just so you know, college basketball games last 40 minutes. That's why I waited until the outcome of the game to assess this tweet and determine its viability. Turns out it was your statement, not UF's performance, that was a disgrace. But we forgive you. We know you're a tad embarrassed and humiliated. Apology accepted.)Not as "classic" as assuming (and tweeting on my timeline) a negative result just seven minutes into the game. Vintage lemming stuff.In the middle of a four-game winning streak and coming off a road upset of the league's first-place team. Brilliant! There's a reason you're not in the sports management field.Lost two followers from last week, I see. Sitting at a robust 52. Keep up the good tweet work.Ahh, a longtime sportswriter, armed with some perspective, comes to the party. Your statement, Matt, remains to be seen. White, of course, was the 2017 SEC Coach of the Year just two seasons ago. Still, your statement could turn out to be true, given where this team was and its obvious shortcomings. The season is long. Chemistry and trust develop along the way. Roles are defined and coaches find out and figure out things about their players. How he handles the next three weeks will prove if your assertion is accurate.As good as he was in going 9-for-9 at Alabama last weekend, Nembhard may have been better in his eight-point, eight-assist, two-turnover, great-defense, veteranlike-leadership performance at LSU.They did. They always do. Asused to say, "Courage."Two things here: KeVaughn was told to get into the play with 8 seconds left and was in position to take the shot the coach wanted, but declined to take it. Passed it instead. So, there's that. But going by your line of thinking, if "that's coaching," then so was an underdog UF squad winning on the road against a ranked team trying to win the SEC title ... right? Yeah, thought so.Such a weak observation. He was 4-for-4 from the game, scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds and hit two big free throws late in regulation at LSU, all the while going against one of the most aggressive and athletic front lines in the country. He was in foul trouble most of the game against Missouri and played just 16 minutes (two in the first half), but the Gators were plus-9 when he was on the court. Given his role and what he means to the team's communication on defense (not even taking into account his leadership behind the scenes),is playing the best all-around basketball of his career.Life on the road in conference play (ask Missouri). Best way to respond is to move on to the next possession. They did.Yes, he's injured (and toughening through it). And, no, he's not killing his team, but he did toss some daggers at LSU (check box score: 15 points).Games last 40 minutes. In the case of the LSU game, it lasted 45. Allen was engaged. He just got off to one of his slow starts. Did it against Mizzou, as well.Actually, I'm here every Sunday during the SEC season, young man, and very easy to find during every game, through the good and bad, unlike the trolls in their holes when things are going well. By the way, is it dark down there?"No chance," eh? OK, if you say so.Nothing to do with basketball, but c'mon! How cool is Caeleb?Florida lost another "Quadrant 1" win overnight when Arkansas fell out of the NET Top 75. Wednesday night, the Gators were 4-10 in Q1s, but they're now 2-10 vs. Q1s, but a combined 7-10 in Q1 and Q2 games. Looking ahead to this week, the road trip to Vandy will be a Q2 and the home date against Georgia a Q3. A pair of high-level Q1s await the following week: home for LSU and at Kentucky to end regular season. ... Allen has another mini-run of double-digit scoring games, with three straight, so make that 15 over the last 16, with the one glitch his six-point output in the win over Vandy, a game the Gators nonetheless won to start their four-game winning streak. Remember when the Gators had to beg Allen to be aggressive and shoot the ball? Well, he's attempted at least 10 shots in 11 of the previous 14 games. In the other three games, he took nine shots. ... Allen's career point total is now 1,649, which is 30 from passing(1989-93) and moving into sixth place on the all-time Gators scoring list. He also tied(1998-2002) for third all-time with 125 career starts. ... UF is now 3-7 when trailing at halftime. The Gators were down 12 in the second half and outscored the Tigers, 36-20, the rest of the way. Last season, they also rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat Mizzou, that one on the road and ending with the famous"pick-6" and layup with :00.1 remaining. ... Since joining the starting lineup Jan. 19 at Georgia (11 games ago), freshman forwardhas just one game where he's grabbed fewer than six rebounds and five games where he's hauled in at least nine (with double-figure games, including that career-high 13 in the win at Alabama). ... Freshman guardwas just one of six from the floor over 31 minutes against the Tigers, but his lone field was a 3-pointer (a big one in the second half). He's now made 71 3-balls, which is one from tying(2009-10) for second-most by a freshman in program history, and three from passing(2002-03) as the most prolific 3-point-shooting freshman.