From the first minutes of game, Florida’s offense was barren cold and they would never grasp a chance of the lead as the No. 5 UNC Tar Heels (5-1) handled the No. 18 Florida Gators (3-3) 75-64 in the last game of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Florida’s offense proved to be their weakness yet again in the tournament as their 29 percent (9-of-31) shooting percentage from the field in the first half was the worse of the season. With that horrid start, the Gators would only pull as close to seven points behind the Tar Heels throughout the entire game.
“The difference is they (UNC) made shots. Their players stepped up and knocked them down,” head coach Billy Donovan said off a TV interview. “Give them credit. Our guys have not shot the ball well. Outside of Kasey Hill offensively, there wasn’t really any bright spots for us.”
Despite the losing effort, Hill did have his best game of not only the season, but of his Gator career.
Surpassing his previous game-high of 13 points set last season against North Florida, Hill recorded 20 points, and made 10-of-12 from the free throw line setting career-highs respectively in both stats.
Michael Frazier II added 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds, but it was enough as five UNC players in Marcus Paige (16), Kennedy Meeks (18), Brice Johnson (10), J.P. Tokoto (10) and Justin Jackson (12) all scored in double figures compared to two Florida players.
Florida’s offensive woes continued as they shot 6-of-27 from beyond the arc with Dorian Finney-Smith and Eli Carter going 0-for-8 combined at the 3-point line.
This was the first time UNC and Florida met since 2000, when they played in the Final Four, with Florida winning 71-59.
After entering the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament with 2-1 record, the Gators fall to 3-3 on the season, after losing the opener to Georgetown, defeating UAB and losing against UNC. Overall, a sixth place finish was the end result.
The non-conference difficulty continues, as the Gators will return to states to face No. 11 Kansas on Friday Dec. 5.
Florida has a week to prepare for their first matchup of December as they finished November on a .500 record after being ranked in the top 10 to commence the season and could possibly be removed from the top 25 now.
The adversity of the tournament in the Bahamas is over and the Gators can now return home to regroup for a bigger challenge ahead, but Donovan recognizes who the Gators are right now.
“Right now the truth is slamming us in the face,” Donovan said.
We have some work to do to get into that top ten conversation. Go Gators…keep the faith, keep workin’ it!