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Speights' Big Night Lifts UF

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By ANDY STAPLES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 3, 2008

GAINESVILLE - Of the three career highs University of Florida center Marreese Speights notched in Wednesday night's 88-70 win against High Point, the most significant was the final number.

Thirty-one minutes.

Sure, Gators coach Billy Donovan said, the 24 points and 15 rebounds were nice, but the Panthers were ill-equipped to handle a 6-foot-10 sophomore who can drill a jumper from 18 feet. Donovan was more impressed with Speights' newfound willingness to push through fatigue. At one point, assistant coaches Larry Shyatt and Lewis Preston alerted Donovan that he needed to call timeout to substitute for a tired Speights. Donovan waved them off, and Speights grabbed a rebound.

"I'm not calling a timeout," Donovan said, echoing a refrain he tells his players often. "You're going to have to fight through it until there's a whistle."

Other than Speights, the Gators offered lackluster effort in their final tune-up before they begin Southeastern Conference play at Alabama in five days.

Florida allowed High Point to cut its lead to seven with 12:09 remaining. But Chandler Parsons made a 3-pointer, and Speights threw down a putback dunk to stretch the lead to 12.

That Speights finally was outhustling opponents brought a smile to Donovan's face.

"He did a much better job," Donovan said.

"I can't remember the last time I saw the guy outrun a player down the floor twice in the first half and get a dunk just by sheer running."

Speights' teammate - and roommate - Jonathan Mitchell, believes that if Speights keeps hustling, he will be ready for the significant schedule upgrade the Gators are about to endure.

"With Marreese, it's all in his head," Mitchell said. "If he has the right mindset, he can be the best big man in the country."

INSIDE THE GAME

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Undersized High Point PF Arizona Reid, because he scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and because his name is Arizona Reid.

STAT OF THE GAME: Florida C Marreese Speights beat his previous career high in minutes by six.

TURNING POINT: After High Point cut Florida's lead to seven with 12:09 remaining, the Gators stretched the lead to 17 in the next four minutes.

UP NEXT: Florida plays at Alabama at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

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