Todd Golden Not Concerned Yet About Gators Shooting Woes

The Florida Gators head coach is giving his team the benefit of the doubt early on in the season

Golden is willing to wait and see if things iron themselves out on the Gators | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Florida Gators' 3-point shooting has been anything but serviceable through the first two games of the season against North Florida and Arizona, even with the offense generating numerous good looks. 

Despite this rough start from deep, there is still confidence inside the building that the team will see a turnaround in this department based on what they see every day in practice. 

“Our scrimmages, we were shooting the ball well, we shoot the ball really well in practice,” Gators forward Thomas Haugh said on Thursday after the win over the Ospreys. “We’re a good 3-point shooting team. We didn’t show it today, but I’m confident in this team.”

It has not been pleasant for Florida over the two games. The offense is just 13-for-59 from behind the arc across their two games this season. It was 7-for-27 in game one and 6-for-32 in the win over the Ospreys on Thursday. 

In total, eight players have attempted a 3-pointer, with six having made at least one. But the more damaging stat from the Gators is that Haugh leads the team in 3-point percentage, but is only connecting on 30% of his threes. That is nowhere near what it should be. 

Furthermore, the Gators' new backcourt of Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland is just 5-for-24 from three through both games. Lee has taken the lion’s share of threes between the two, shooting 5-for-19 on the year. As for Fland, he is 0-for-5 from deep. 

Haugh partially attributes the inefficiency of the Gators to nerves. 

“I think a little bit of nerves, just being excited. I think this team is going to calm down,” Haugh said. 

Gators head coach Todd Golden agreed with his star forward as well, highlighting two players who might be trying to do more because of the roles they currently play for the team. 

“I think when I look at Alex (Lloyd), Urbie (Urban Klavzar), I think those guys are pressing a little bit,” Golden said. “Just thinking they gotta make a shot to stay on the court, and that's just not the case.”

Golden also shared that he has faith in everything working out for the duo as time passes and they get more shots up. 

“But I think that's going to work itself out,” He said. “I think both of those guys will start shooting the ball with more confidence and shoot it better." 

This shooting slump for Florida has to sort itself out soon, though. Against the likes of Merrimack, George Washington, Saint Francis and Colgate, they can afford to miss tons of threes. That is because they have way more talent than these schools. 

However, when facing teams such as Duke and UConn, the contest could come down to who made more threes. 

Florida’s next challenge is against Florida State on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.