Hot-shooting Florida cruises past Vanderbilt

Florida shot 61.8 percent from the floor and forced 16 turnovers en route to a 91-72 win over Vanderbilt on Wednesday in Nashville.

Michigan transfer Colin Castleton scored a season-high 23 for Florida (4-1, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) thanks to 11-of-13 shooting from the field.

Tre Mann (nine points, 10 rebounds) just missed a double-double for the Gators while Anthony Duruji added 11 points and three blocks. Scottie Lewis (16 points) and Noah Locke (10) also scored in double figures.

Florida held Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. (18 points) below his 23.3-point season average. Dylan Disu had 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds for the Commodores (4-3, 0-1) while Trey Thomas and Myles Stute added 12 and 11, respectively.

The Gators played for the first time in 18 days and competed in their first game without preseason SEC player of the year Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed in a loss to Florida State on Dec. 12.

Florida had just three days of practice in between that contest and this one, but for most of the night, it didn’t show.

The Gators overwhelmed the Commodores, who led for only 2:37, with their athleticism and length, perhaps best-evidenced by a 26-6 edge in fastbreak points.

The Commodores, who trailed by 14 at the break, briefly chipped away through the outside shooting of Thomas, who nailed his third 3-pointer of the half to pull Vanderbilt within 47-41 with 16:36 left.

However, a quick 9-2 spurt by the Gators, capped by a pair of Lewis free throws with 13:55 left, built the lead back to 13.

Florida’s pressure gave Vanderbilt problems in the first half. The Gators blocked four shots and forced 10 turnovers, six on steals, in taking a 43-29 lead after 20 minutes.

Vanderbilt went cold, missing 11 shots in a row between field goals by Quentin Millora-Brown with 10:33 and 2:37 left in the half.

Stute led all scorers with 11 at half, while Duruji led Florida with nine.

–Field Level Media