Once again, the Florida Gators practically pratfalled at the opening tip of an SEC clash, this time trailing Missouri 11-0 before the first segment of play had finished on Saturday in the O’Connell Center.
And once again, they won anyway.
The Gators tightened up on defense, made a lot of big shots, and cleaned up their sloppy play after halftime, erasing the Tigers’ early lead and building and defending their own in a 73-64 victory that gives them three straight in SEC play.
Colin Castleton, as usual, was the Gators’ fantastic fulcrum. While Missouri was able to deny him the ball and disrupt Florida’s offense early on as a result, Todd Golden’s adjustments and Castleton’s persistence led to a typically gaudy line of 16 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks.