Zack Weiss shares his five main thoughts/takeaways from Todd Golden and the Gators' win over Florida A&M here.
-
We've made some major changes! Be sure to read this thread in order to get everything moved over.
5 Thoughts after Florida's 89-68 win over Florida A&M
- Thread starter Zack Weiss
- Start date
1. What's up with Riley Kugel?
This is the third game in a row where he's gotten off to a slow start. Game 1, he picked it up big time in the second half and ended the night having actually played quite well. Game 2, he had a lackluster second half, but better than his first. Tonight, he strung together a full 40 minutes of bad basketball. Well, 20 minutes — because that's all he played. Thus far, he's seemed disinterested. Bad body language on both ends of the floor. Friday against FSU is, in my eyes, the biggest game of his career up to this point. He could kickoff a monster season with a big performance at home against a rival... or really raise the question of whether or not the "sophomore slump" is real.
This is the third game in a row where he's gotten off to a slow start. Game 1, he picked it up big time in the second half and ended the night having actually played quite well. Game 2, he had a lackluster second half, but better than his first. Tonight, he strung together a full 40 minutes of bad basketball. Well, 20 minutes — because that's all he played. Thus far, he's seemed disinterested. Bad body language on both ends of the floor. Friday against FSU is, in my eyes, the biggest game of his career up to this point. He could kickoff a monster season with a big performance at home against a rival... or really raise the question of whether or not the "sophomore slump" is real.
2. Will Richard showed up!
It's huge for this team that he had a good game tonight. He's this team's best shooter. So, having him confident is massive. He's not going to average 20 per game, but nights like this are huge for guys like him who need confidence in order to be consistent, if that makes sense. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him get off to a hot start against the Seminoles Friday.
It's huge for this team that he had a good game tonight. He's this team's best shooter. So, having him confident is massive. He's not going to average 20 per game, but nights like this are huge for guys like him who need confidence in order to be consistent, if that makes sense. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him get off to a hot start against the Seminoles Friday.
3. Condon is a good backup center.
Finally. Finally, Florida has a serviceable backup center. Tonight, he looked more than serviceable; he looked great. Now, he's not going to score 17 points and 17 minutes every night. But he appears to be a guy Golden can trust to play 15-20 minutes a night and play hard defense with the potential to spark on the other end.
Finally. Finally, Florida has a serviceable backup center. Tonight, he looked more than serviceable; he looked great. Now, he's not going to score 17 points and 17 minutes every night. But he appears to be a guy Golden can trust to play 15-20 minutes a night and play hard defense with the potential to spark on the other end.
4. Walter Clayton Jr. bounced back.
After both literally and figuratively turning the Virginia game over to the Cavaliers, he bounced back tonight in a big way with his best game of the season — which was awesome to see. I can't wait to see the way Golden goes about meshing him and Zyon Pullin going forward.
After both literally and figuratively turning the Virginia game over to the Cavaliers, he bounced back tonight in a big way with his best game of the season — which was awesome to see. I can't wait to see the way Golden goes about meshing him and Zyon Pullin going forward.
5. The return of Pullin
Speaking of Zyon, he returns Friday. Golden wouldn't say in the postgame presser whether or not he'd start, but how heavy of a workload he's going to have is clear: quite heavy. Golden praised Pullin for being the type of guy that makes everyone else better, a floor general. The Florida team we saw tonight, and through these first three games, is not the best version of it. Thankfully, nobody was injured in them and we now get to see the team at true full strength Friday with Pullin in the mix. I can't wait.
Speaking of Zyon, he returns Friday. Golden wouldn't say in the postgame presser whether or not he'd start, but how heavy of a workload he's going to have is clear: quite heavy. Golden praised Pullin for being the type of guy that makes everyone else better, a floor general. The Florida team we saw tonight, and through these first three games, is not the best version of it. Thankfully, nobody was injured in them and we now get to see the team at true full strength Friday with Pullin in the mix. I can't wait.
It looks like Golden has put together a talented team. If they gel playing together as the season goes on, who knows what might happen. I am excited for a solid team this year and believe Golden has the ability to take them deep as he did at San Francisco.
