Some observations following UF’s 78-69 win over Alabama:
- Florida freshman forward Chris Walker needs to bulk up between now and March. Walker was manhandled in the post trying to defend Alabama forward Jimmie Taylor on one possession, which resulted in a foul. Walker has committed 4 fouls in 11 career minutes on the floor and much of that has to do with his inability to hold his position inside defensively. Walker also was late on a couple of defensive rotations. But offensively, it’s easy to see the upside with Walker with the alley-oop plays.
– Like what I’ve seen from UF’s ball movement the past few weeks. The Gators dished a season-high 22 assists and have posted an assist-to-turnover ratio of 62 to 44 over its last four games. When senior forward Will Yeguete gets three wide open layups under the basket at the end of the first half, you know the ball is moving.
– Kudos to UF’s fans for filling the O’Connell Center. Florida had two sellouts during its three-game homestand (Texas A&M, Alabama) and Missouri was a near sellout with a paid attendance of more than 12,000. Following a 4-8 football season, the No. 3 Gators have given Florida fans something to feel good about the last few months. We’ll see if it carries over into March, or beyond.
