Takeaways from the Gators 36-Point Win Over Stony Brook on Opening Night
The Florida Gators opened up their 2022-23 season on Monday night with a 81-45 victory over Stony Brook to earn new head coach Todd Golden his first victory at the University.
To recap the opening-night victory for Golden and Co., All Gators provides three in-depth takeaways from the performance.
Ball movement, rebounding and three-point shooting efficiency bode well for offensive success
When Todd Golden was announced as the new head coach of the Florida program, the widespread hope from the fanbase was that the days of dreadful scoring droughts and a monotonous offensive system would be put in the past. His San Francisco team often showcased the ability to score the basketball at a high clip.
In his effort to ensure that remained at his next stop, Golden brought over assistant Kevin Hovde.
While it's a small sample size against a mid-major opponent, scoring the basketball was the least of Florida's worries as they posted 81 points on Stony Brook while 13 players got in on the action.
Although, it didn’t necessarily start that way.
In the early going, the Gators struggled to shoot the basketball from downtown, taking poor, hurried shots when given the opportunity to do so.
This included a sequence of air balls on three consecutive possessions from Alex Fudge and Myreon Jones early in the first half.
They connected on just 20% of their three-point attempts in the first half as a result. However, when coming out of the locker room break, the Gators flipped a switch to turn their 3-for-15 shooting number into 10-for-25 on the game.
How? Better shot selection and increased ball movement is the answer.
Florida’s attack, identified as a Princeton-style offense that emphasizes constant movement from the players and the ball, is a major asset for the fast, athletic team the Gators carry into the 2022-23 season.
Monday night have a glimpse of the future as the ball consistently moved from player to player as guys worked to create open shots for themselves or others with screens.
It made an impact for Florida as it accomplished its mission of creating open looks at the basket and beyond the three-point line in abundance.
In the second half, Florida made those opportunities count by connecting in seven threes in the period. As a result, the Gators pulled away.
They will hope to replicate the second-half performance for a full 40 minutes moving forward.
Sustainability in that regard comes from their understanding of when to take threes and when to pass off for better options.
The 40% three-point night, however, wasn’t the only positive for Florida in an area of emphasis heading into the season.
Throughout the fall, Golden stresses two aspects of previous Gators team’s that he drastically wants to improve during his tenure: three-point shooting and crashing the boards.
Albeit against Stony Brook, Florida accomplished the mission on both fronts.
The Gators out-rebounded Stony Brook 44-28 on the night and showed intent to crash the glass with physicality and consistency. That was evident on both ends of the floor given the 10 offensive rebounds and multiple putback baskets in the first half.
Kyle Lofton, Trey Bonham, CJ Felder and Colin Castleton, specifically, posted five rebounds apiece on the night to lead the Gators in the heavily emphasized area. However, it was an overall effort that led to 44 total rebounds, with 11 players recording at least one.
The all-around effort in those three areas provides promise for the future under Golden. While the slow start shooting the ball is still a fault, the overall sample size gives the Gators the confidence that they can produce at that level in those aspects of the game each night.
If they can, Florida is in a great position to contend with the formidable opponents they’ll face this year.
Alex Fudge and Will Richard star in their first outings with Florida
When the score is as lopsided as this one, sometimes your best competition is your teammate.
On Monday night, Alex Fudge and Will Richard were competitors as they attempts to out hoop each other on Billy Donovan Court.
Following Fudge’s aforementioned air ball in the first takeaway, the LSU transfer reeled off nine straight points for the Gators in the first half. He showed the offensive prowess that was in question leading up to the season.
Knocking down 50% of his shots from the field (6-for-12) and matching that clip from beyond the arc (2-for-4), Fudge found success at all three levels offensively.
He compiled a career-high 16 points, including a skillful fast break bucket off a euro step, and three rebounds on the night.
However, the most telling aspect of Fudge’s performance may not be his scoring. Instead, that was arguably the charge he drew in the second half after Florida extended their lead to 31. That’s a talking point of praise in film sessions for any team across the country.
After the contest, Golden noted the impact a positive season-opener can have for Fudge after up-and-down performances during his time at LSU.
His inconsistency will be tested at points this season and is likely the reason he came off the bench on night one in favor of CJ Felder.
However, as a guy that the staff believes to be the “definition of an impactful player” more performances like the one he had against the Seawolves could elevate his status for Florida when they face off against power six opponents.
Richard, on the other hand, produced a similarly impressive performance on the offensive end with 14 points in 21 minutes. He connected on four of his five total shots — including two of his three shots from deep — to give the Gators a much-needed boost in the second half.
For a considerable stretch, Richard was performing as the best player on the court due to his multi-faceted offensive skillset.
He led the team with a +27 plus/minus rating while adding three rebounds and two steals to his name, given his length to disrupt passing lanes and pickpocket opposing ball handlers.
The duo of Richard and Fudge have the potential to be game-changing additions to the Florida squad this season. They exemplified that fact on Monday night.
Colin Castleton has reached his final form
The excellence of Colin Castleton for the Gators during his two seasons with the program cannot be understated.
Serving as a constant scoring option inside and a dynamic rim protector on the other end, Castleton’s two-way skillset has played a heavy role in Florida’s success in those years.
He’s averaged 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and just over two blocks per game (116 total heading into game one of 2022-23) in his 52 games played at UF.
However, on Monday night, Castleton began to show why he is slated to be more valuable than ever this season.
While he posted 13 points on the evening, where he showed his deep arsenal of post moves and willingness to put the ball on the floor and attack the basket, Castelton made his biggest contributions as a passer in the high post.
Accounting for three of Florida’s 12 assists on the night, the big man showed excellent court vision and smart decision-making to pair with his scoring prowess on the offensive end.
Add in his five rebounds (all coming in the first half), four blocked shots and multiple occasions where he stepped out to play guards defensively, and Castleton quietly produced a well-rounded outing.
That doesn’t encapsulate the jump-shooting ability he’s added to his tool bag this offseason, although the missed his lone look at a three-point attempt from the top of the key as the first half expired on Monday night.
There is value that comes in versatility and it’s rare to find that in a five. But, as the preseason came to a close, Golden understood that’s exactly what they have in Castelton.
That showed in their trust for him to operate the way he did on Monday night. Not only did Castleton find himself in situations to succeed, but his teammates reaped the rewards of his rare capabilities.
As Castleton reaches his final form, Florida is in line to heavily benefit from courting one of the few do-it-all center prospects at any level of the collegiate game this season.
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