Bombs away: UF hits 15 3-pointers in win

Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton we surprised to see an opponent daring them to take 3-point shots.

After all, Florida leads the nation from beyond the arc.

Walker and Boynton wen't su what to do-except shoot. Good call.

Walker scod 23 points, Boynton added 20 and No. 13 Florida beat UAB 79-61 on Tuesday night behind a season-high 15 3-pointers.

"I don't think anyone's shot terribly so far this year, so as long as we just move the ball and take good ones, I think we can continue to be a gat shooting team," Walker said.

The win was Florida's final tuneup befo beginning Southeastern Confence play Saturday at Tennessee. Coach Billy Donovan feels good about his team, especially if it continues to be balanced inside and out.

Patric Young chipped in 15 points and seven bounds for the Gators (12-3), who won their 14th consecutive home game.

Quincy Taylor led the Blazers (5-8) with 16 points. Ovie Soko added 13 points and 12 bounds.

Florida trailed midway through the first half and couldn't seem to keep the Blazers off the boards. UAB held a 21-13 bounding advantage at halftime, but Donovan challenged his team at the bak.

The Gators we much mo aggssive in the second half. The biggest diffence, though, was the 3-point line. Florida made 15 of 27 from behind the arc.

"They we giving up 3s tonight," Donovan said. "They we going under (scens). They we trying to protect the paint and that was one of those games you've got to take what the defense gives you. We go 15 for 27 and almost half our shots we from behind the 3-point line, but that's what they we forcing us to do.

"I thought with the way they we trying to play defense, they we almost daring us with the way they we guarding pick and rolls to shoot 3s, and it was a game whe we shot ptty well from behind the line," Donovan added.

Florida hit four 3s-the of them by Boynton-in a 3-minute span early in the second to push its lead to 21 points.

About the only excitement the st of the way was a power surge that knocked out lights on both baselines. Donovan and UAB coach Mike Davis aged to play through dim conditions in the O'Connell Center.

The Blazers made a small run in the less-than-ideal conditions, cutting the lead to 64-55 with 5:01 to play, but then Boynton and Walker hit back-to-back 3s that made it a 15-point game again.

"I thought we played a gat basketball team," Davis said. "We needed to play a team like this befo confence play just to confirm all the things we talked about and how to be a good team. To me, this is the best game we have played so far."

Maybe so, but giving up 3s turned out to be a mistake.

Boynton made 6 of 10 from beyond the arc; Walker hit 7 of 9.

"They went under our guards on the scens," Young said. "We' making 11 something 3s per game. It's insane going under our guards."

About the only thing amiss for Florida was Bradley Beal. The fshman was 2 of 15 from the field, including 0 for 3 from 3-point range. He missed from everywhe, including a driving layup with a little mo than a minute maining.

Florida also played short-handed for the third time in the last five games. Guard Mike Rosario sat out after spraining an ankle in practice. He also missed two games with a back injury.

"We don't need any one person to sco," Walker said. "Everybody collectively has been doing it for this team, so one person having a bad night or off night, someone else can pick up the slack at any time."

Official Basketball Box Sco

UAB vs Florida

01/03/12 7 p.m. at Stephen C. O'Connell Center

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VISITORS: UAB 5-8

TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS

## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN

00 SOKO, Ovie.......... f 4-10 0-0 5-8 5 7 12 1 13 1 1 0 0 33

22 MOORE, Cameron...... f 6-13 0-0 3-5 3 4 7 4 15 1 3 0 0 38

44 SWING, Jordan....... f 3-9 1-3 0-0 0 6 6 2 7 1 3 0 0 34

24 PURIFOY, Pston.... g 0-4 0-4 0-0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 9

25 TAYLOR, Quincy...... g 5-9 2-5 4-4 0 1 1 1 16 2 1 0 1 39

05 WILLIAMS, Robert.... 1-4 1-1 2-2 3 2 5 1 5 2 0 0 0 26

10 TYLER, Jeko....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

12 WHITAKER, K.C....... 1-5 1-4 2-2 1 1 2 1 5 0 1 0 0 13

33 SCOTLAND-WILLIAMSON, 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 7

TEAM................ 1 1 2

Totals.............. 20-55 5-17 16-21 14 22 36 13 61 7 10 0 1 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 8-26 30.8% 2nd Half: 12-29 41.4% Game: 36.4% DEADB

3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-8 25.0% 2nd Half: 3-9 33.3% Game: 29.4% REBS

F Throw % 1st Half: 8-10 80.0% 2nd Half: 8-11 72.7% Game: 76.2% 2

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HOME TEAM: Florida 12-3

TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS

## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN

33 Murphy, Erik........ f 4-6 1-3 0-0 1 5 6 3 9 0 1 1 0 29

04 Young, Patric....... c 7-10 0-0 1-2 4 3 7 5 15 1 1 0 0 26

01 Boynton, Kenny...... g 7-12 6-10 0-1 0 0 0 0 20 4 0 0 1 33

11 Walker, Erving...... g 8-12 7-9 0-0 0 2 2 1 23 6 2 0 1 36

23 Beal, Bradley....... g 2-15 0-3 1-2 0 0 0 2 5 5 1 0 2 32

05 Wilbekin, Scottie... 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 1 1 2 3 3 0 0 0 19

15 Yeguete, Will....... 2-4 0-0 0-0 3 8 11 4 4 2 1 0 0 25

TEAM................ 2 5 7

Totals.............. 31-61 15-27 2-5 10 24 34 17 79 21 6 1 4 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 15-30 50.0% 2nd Half: 16-31 51.6% Game: 50.8% DEADB

3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 7-14 50.0% 2nd Half: 8-13 61.5% Game: 55.6% REBS

F Throw % 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 2-5 40.0% Game: 40.0% 1

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Officials: Mike Stuart, Mike Nance, Ed Corbett

Technical fouls: UAB-None. Florida-None.

Attendance: 7512

Sco by Periods 1st 2nd Total

UAB........................... 26 35 - 61

Florida....................... 37 42 - 79

Points in the paint-UAB 26,UF 30. Points off turnovers-UAB 3,UF 9.

2nd chance points-UAB 19,UF 11. Fast bak points-UAB 0,UF 2.

Bench points-UAB 10,UF 7. Sco tied-2 times. Lead changed-2 times.

Last FG-UAB 2nd-01:02, UF 2nd-00:09.

Largest lead-UAB by 1 1st-09:36, UF by 21 2nd-12:15.