No. 6 Gators cruise past Seminoles

Thursday, December 6, 2012

— Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario both scored 14 points Wednesday night and No. 6 Florida romped to a 72-47 victory over defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Florida State.

It took the Gators just 5 minutes to take a 12-2 lead and the rout was on. Boynton’s layup with 8:57 left gave Florida its largest lead, 62-25.

Florida (7-0) has held five opponents to less than 50 points this season while taking its fourth consecutive victory over the Seminoles (4-4) who have lost three home games in a row after their most lopsided defeat to Florida since a 96-61 loss in 1999.

Michael Frazier added 12 points and Patric Young finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for the Gators, who cruised to a 35-15 halftime lead in their first road game of the season. Scottie Wilbekin had five steals and five assists.

Michael Snaer led Florida State with 10 points, all in the second half.

Boynton’s layup with 13:56left gave Florida a 50-19 lead.

Snaer countered a few seconds later with his first basket of the game.

Florida, which came into the game ranked second nationally in scoring defense, had the Seminoles baffled from the outset, forcing 13 turnovers in the first half and outrebounding them 21-11.

Florida State shot 25 percent in the opening half and managed three points over the final 8:54.

Florida came into the game with five victories at home and another on a neutral site in Tampa. The Gators didn’t appear the least bit bothered opening their road schedule on their archrival’s court.

Florida shot 49.1 percent in the game and forced 22 turnovers while Florida State shot 34.8 percent.

NO. 23 OKLAHOMA ST. 61, SOUTH FLORIDA 49

STILLWATER, Okla. - Marcus Smart scored 15 points, Markel Brown added 13 and No. 23 Oklahoma State bounced back from its first loss of the season to beat South Florida.

Smart, the Cowboys’ playmaking freshman, nailed a three-pointer from the left wing to launch a 16-5 run that put Oklahoma State (6-1) in control in the second half. He finished it off by hitting another three-pointer, then making a quick steal in the backcourt before setting up Brown’s layup for a 48-34 lead with 7:29 remaining.

The Bulls (5-3) couldn’t get closer than nine points after that.

Victor Rudd had 14 points for South Florida, and Anthony Collins scored 12. The Bulls were held to a season-worst 34 percent shooting and had their lowest scoring game of the season.

SEC MEN VIRGINIA 46, TENNESSEE 38

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Akil Mitchell had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Joe Harris also scored 13 as Virginia won a battle of stout defenses against Tennessee.

The victory was the sixth in a row for the Cavaliers (7-2) and came after they limited the Volunteers to 28.8 percent shooting and just 15 field goals.

Trae Golden scored 11 to lead Tennessee (4-3), which scored just 36 points in a one-point loss to No. 15 Georgetown on Friday and picked up where it left off.

The Vols scored just six points in the first 14:50, and just five more after using a 12-2 run to get within 38-33 with 7:41 left. Golden and Skylar McRae hit threepointers in the burst, and Kenny Hall closed it with two free throws. But Tennessee scored just one point over the next 6:14.

TEXAS A&M 62, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 54

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Freshman J-Mychal Reese scored eight of his 15 points in the final 3 minutes as Texas A&M defeated Stephen F. Austin.

Reese matched his career high and kept the Aggies (6-1) unbeaten in 14games all-time against the Lumberjacks. Reese made a couple of floaters from the lane and made four free throws down the stretch. Ray Turner also scored 15 points for Texas A&M.

Antonio Bostic and Taylor Smith led the Lumberjacks with 14 points apiece. Stephen F. Austin (5-1) is off to its best start since 1981.

Texas A&M led throughout the second half, but the Lumberjacks pulled within 52-48 with 3:45 remaining on a 16-footer by Thomas Walkup. Reese responded with an 8-foot runner on a fast break, then Ray Turner scored inside after an Stephen F. Austin turnover.

Elston Turner scored 10 points despite missing most of the first half with an ankle injury.

DAYTON 81, ALABAMA 76

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Kevin Dillard scored 25 points and Josh Benson 19 to lead Dayton over Alabama.

It was the seventh consecutive victory against SEC opponents for the Flyers (6-2), who improved to 19-8 in the past six seasons against teams from BCS conferences.

Trevor Lacey had 16 points and Levi Randolph 15 to lead Alabama (6-2), which, partly due to injuries, used a different starting lineup for the fifth consecutive game.

Dayton was in control most of the way, although Alabama came back from a double-digit deficit late in the game to make the score more respectable when Lacey made a three-pointer as the clock was winding down.

Vee Sanford added 13 points for Dayton, while Dillard also had six assists, Benson six rebounds and Devin Oliver seven points and seven rebounds.

Trevor Releford added 13 points and Rodney Cooper 12 for Alabama.

Sports, Pages 20 on 12/06/2012