Marsh Madness: Three Key Takeaways From Florida's 90-70 Victory Over Boston College
Boston College's Makai Ashton-Langford tried a swing pass to teammate Rich Kelly. Florida guard Tyree Appleby stepped in front of the passing lane like a ball-hawking safety and was instantly headed to the other end of the floor in transition.
As he approached the basket, Ashton-Langford and Kelly were just a step behind him, waiting to try to make a play on his transition layup.
So Appleby didn't try a layup at all. He threw a backwards lob over both of their heads and sat the ball perfectly in the air for ensuing Florida forward Anthony Duruji.
Slam dunk. Easy deuce.
That bucket described most of Florida's night against Boston College on Thursday. The Gators beat the Eagles by a score of 90-70 to improve to 2-0 in this young season. And as a team, UF played much better than it did in its first outing against Army. Here are three reasons why.
Keyontae Johnson was unguardable
It is without question that forward Keyontae Johnson is Florida's best offensive player. And on Thursday, that was as obvious as ever.
The junior had 24 points on an unbelievably efficient 10-of-13 shooting. Johnson only got to the line twice, but he sunk both free throws. He made two out of three from beyond the arc as well to turn in an offensive performance that could win just about every game Florida plays besides maybe a Kentucky or Florida State.
Johnson also turned in 12 rebounds to call the night a double-double for him. Johnson and the term double-double in the same sentence will almost always mean a Gators victory.
Florida's best big man is Omar Payne
Transfer-big man Colin Castleton started his second game in a row for the Gators and played the most minutes. But in 22 minutes of play, the junior only turned in three points.
Meanwhile, in only 17 minutes of action, sophomore Omar Payne had a double-digit night offensively, scoring 10. Payne got to that mark with an efficient 5-of-6 shooting night.
And neither had an impressive rebounding night at all. Castleton had only two and Payne had just one. Johnson collecting 12 rebounds at the four-spot certainly had something to do with that. But if neither Castleton nor Payne are collecting rebounds in significant numbers, shouldn't coach Mike White go with the one that is scoring much more efficiently?
Tre Mann is the backcourt leader
Through two games this seems obvious. As Tre Mann has 19 and 17 points in each of the first two contests for Florida and his backups at the one - Ques Glover and Tyree Appleby - have yet to score double digits.
But Mike White was reluctant to ever provide a clear answer on who the starting point guard would be before the season started. When he was asked, it was always a typical coach-speak that "everybody has to be ready."
But White doesn't have to say it now.
After 17 points against the Eagles, Mann is clearly not just the best point guard, but the best guard on this team, at least offensively. For the Gators to make a deep run this season, there has to be another go-to option outside of Johnson.
Right now, that is unquestionably Tre Mann.
