TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Auburn Makes Florida Work For Win

ADVERTISEMENT

By JENNA MARINA, Tribune correspondent

Published: January 13, 2008

GAINESVILLE - With six seconds to go in Saturday's game, Auburn guard Larry Williams still pressed up on University of Florida guard Nick Calathes.

It didn't matter that the Gators had already sealed a 72-56 victory. The Tigers intended on sticking around, just like they had for the entire game.

Despite the depleted roster, Auburn's seven scholarship players made the Gators work hard for their second conference win.

The first half was one of Florida's sloppiest performances yet. The Gators quickly fell behind 7-0, shot 3-for-13 from behind the arc and were outrebounded 27-17 by Auburn's considerably smaller lineup.

Florida turned it around in the second half by forcing 11 turnovers and finally boxing out, limiting Auburn to one offensive rebound.

Gators forward Dan Werner did not start for the first time this season after he sprained a ligament in his right foot during the Alabama game and sat out practices Thursday and Friday. Still, he played 30 minutes of Saturday's game.

"The only thing I worry about with Dan more so than anything else is, does he now think that the rest of the season is ride the bike and playing games," Florida coach Billy Donovan joked. "For someone that I didn't know what I was going to get out of him, he really played well."

Werner finished with 11 points and five rebounds, but his level of intensity and aggressiveness affected the game more than his stats.

"I tell him to never shave his beard 'cause it makes him look crazy, and that's how he plays on the court," point guard Jai Lucas said. "He tries to go after every rebound, and he makes big plays when big plays are needed."

Lucas made some big plays of his own, knocking down several layups as the shot clock winded down to its final seconds.

Lucas dumped in seven points during Florida's 11-0 run to close the game.

"I thought Jai showed some great toughness on some of those shots," Donovan said. "But I've said this before, I don't know if I feel comfortable relying on him having to make those shots on a regular basis in order for us to put ourselves in a position to win."

INSIDE THE GAME

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Florida PG Jai Lucas followed his career-best night at Alabama by going 7-for-9 from the field. Seven of his 16 points came in the final 3:30 of the game.

STAT OF THE GAME: After letting Auburn grab 11 offensive rebounds in the first half, the Gators limited the Tigers to one on the offensive end in the second half.

TURNING POINT: The lead changed hands five times, but junior G Walter Hodge's first basket of the game, a 3-pointer with three minutes left in the first half, put Florida up 29-26. The Gators never relinquished the lead.

UP NEXT: Florida plays at Mississippi at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT