GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Marquette coach Buzz Williams made some personal history Thursday night – not the kind he wanted.
“I’ve never been beat this bad in my career – 179 games as a head coach,” Williams said. “That’s the worst loss. Not close.”
No. 7 Florida had six players in double figures, including freshman Michael Frazier II, and routed the Golden Eagles 82-49.
“We were just bad, really bad in every way,” Williams said.
The Gators took control midway through the first half, building a double-digit lead thanks to Frazier’s hot hand and solid defense, and never let up.
They kept things rolling after the break, opening up a 23-point lead on Will Yeguete’s layup.
And get this: the Gators stayed unbeaten without much help from Kenny Boynton. The team’s leading scorer missed his first six shots and was scoreless until hitting a jumper with 16:34 remaining.
Boynton finished with six points on 2-of-11 shooting. Frazier (17 points), Yeguete (11), Casey Prather (11), Mike Rosario (11), Pat Young (10) and Erik Murphy (10) all scored in double digits.
Vander Blue led Marquette (5-2) with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, the team’s only player in double figures. The rest of the team made 13 of 37 shots (35 percent).
“I thought he was the only one that showed up and gave us any production,” Williams said. “He had energy and a great spirit.”
Florida’s balanced scoring was impressive, but overshadowed by Frazier and Young.
Frazier made 5 of 8 shots from 3-point range, getting on such a role in the first half that teammates started looking for the 6-foot-4 freshman guard.
“The bucket did seem a little bit bigger than usual,” Frazier said. “When you get extra shots up and your teammates find you, you can’t ask for anything more.”
Young, meanwhile, came off the bench for the first time this season.
But he played nothing like a reserve, finishing with 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. He did all the little things, too. He went after loose balls and had a leaping steal near midcourt that turned into points.
“I believe that (Donovan) sees something far greater than what I see in myself, and I just need to embrace the moment of adversity,” said Young, who was benched because of his attitude in practice.
Florida held Marquette to 41 percent shooting, the latest shutdown for Donovan’s defensive-minded team. The Gators have held opponents to 26 or fewer points in 10 of 12 halves this season.
The Golden Eagles scored 24 in the first and 25 in the second. They finished 3 of 12 from 3-point range and turned the ball over 14 times.
Marquette had won three in a row and was looking to avenge last season’s loss to the Gators in the NCAA tournament. Florida won 68-58 in the round of 16 in Phoenix.
Marquette lost Jae Crowder and Darius-Johnson Odom off that team, but the Golden Eagles showed little drop-off while playing Butler tight in the Maui Invitational and beating Mississippi State and USC.
But they were overmatched in Gainesville.
Florida opened a 23-13 lead midway through the first half, pushed it to 38-20 on consecutive 3s from Frazier and could have cruised in the second half.
Instead, the Gators poured it on. Frazier’s fifth 3-pointer made it 70-39 with 6:14 remaining.
“I think they’re good enough to win the whole thing,” Williams said.
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