A poor finish against Butler turned into a sluggish start for Florida’s basketball team against North Florida on Wednesday night.
The Gators found themselves down 10-9 five minutes into the game. The Ospreys, affectionately dubbed the “Birds of Trey” for their three-point shooting prowess, preyed upon the Gators early in the contest.
That is, until Deaundrae Ballard checked into the game.
The sophomore guard scored nine-straight points for the Gators, including an emphatic alley-oop. Ballard’s takeover sparked the team to a 16-3 run, wresting back control from UNF. He went on to score 15, and UF didn't trail again in a convincing 98-66 win.