After an uncomfortably close first half full of unsightly shooting and blown layups, the Gators pulled away throughout the second half and ultimately cruised to an 80-57 over Embry-Riddle Monday night.

Florida’s exhibition win offered the public its first look at the new look Gators roster, and the 23-point Gator victory revealed a number of key takeaways for the upcoming UF basketball season.

White’s promise of defense-first basketball has rung hollow the last two seasons, ranking 41st and 61st in adjusted defensive efficiency over the last two seasons. But against Embry Monday evening, Florida showed signs of a strong, active defense that will hound the opposition 94 feet down the floor.

The Gators forced 21 turnovers against their NAIA opposition Monday, with 12 of these coming in the form of steals. UF was also effective in converting these turnovers into offense, thriving on the fast break and scoring 27 points off of Embry giveaways. Tyree Appleby was particularly prolific on the defensive end, poking away three steals and harassing the Embry backcourt.

Florida would be expected to dominate non-Division 1 offenses, but these early signs indicate that UF has a defense that is active, engaged, and eager to cause chaos and generate turnovers.

Colin Castleton developed a reputation as one of the conference’s best centers last season, playing a limited but effective, back to the basket style of offense.

The Michigan transfer opted to enter the NBA Draft this offseason, and the influences of the professional game are evident in Castleton’s new-look offensive approach this season.

After taking just one three-pointer all of last season, Castleton attempted three shots from distance against Embry Monday night, swishing one from the top of the key. At the same time, the 6-foot, 11-inch big man lacked his usual finesse around the rim, shooting just 1-6 from inside the arc and missing all of his shots inside the paint.

Missed bunnies were a common theme Monday and possibly a sign of early-season nerves, but Castleton’s evolving offensive game offers up a number of new, modern opportunities for the Gators offense.

For a Florida team that struggled with a consistent three-point shooting last season, transfer Brandon McKissic and his 40+% three-point percentage jumped off the page as a valuable addition. And while the UMKC transfer has yet to prove his three-point pedigree against high-major competition, he showed promising early signs against Embry Monday.

McKissic knocked down 5 of 8 from three-point range, looking nearly perfect in the catch and shoot role on the perimeter for the Gators. As a whole, the Gators’ ball movement improved notably throughout the game, as the Gators employed impressive floor spacing and unselfish basketball for a number of excellent looks from distance.

Anthony Duruji has always impressed as a phenomenal athlete, throwing down acrobatic dunks and rising highest for imposing blocks. But Duruji’s technical abilities always lagged a step behind, preventing the Louisiana Tech transfer from becoming a consistent offensive contributor last season.

On Monday, Duruji looked much improved on the offensive end, pairing a good-looking three-point stroke with a number of impressive finishes around the rim. In all, Duruji finished a perfect 5-5 from the field while grabbing seven rebounds and three steals. He also carried the Gators in the first half, making nearly half of Florida’s field goals in the period.

The one detraction from Duruji’s game Monday was his lingering foul trouble, as the senior committed five fouls in just 20 minutes of action.

Florida will return to action on November 9 in their first regular-season game against Elon. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. on SEC Network +.