'I think these guys are believing': Porter Moser delivers first statement win at OU by defeating Florida
NORMAN — Lon Kruger said it best.
Oklahoma held a one-point lead at halftime of its game against No. 14-ranked Florida on Wednesday, and the Sooners got some words of encouragement from a program legend.
OU used the break in the action to honor Lon Kruger, who retired in March after coaching the team from 2011-21.
Kruger thanked the crowd at Lloyd Noble Center for the love and support he received during his time with the Sooners, and he also recognized the importance of Wednesday's contest.
"This is a big-boy game," Kruger said.
Kruger was right.
First-year Sooners head coach Porter Moser and his squad delivered a statement by earning a 74-67 win over the Gators, and Jalen Hill helped make it happen.
OU held a 63-56 lead with 5:17 left in the game when the junior forward gathered a pass on the perimeter. Hill used a burst of speed to dust Florida's Phlandrous Fleming Jr. before soaring through the air for a one-handed dunk that nearly took the roof off the place.
The referee's whistle could barely be heard when Florida burned a timeout, but even the brief break couldn't cool off OU as it went on to earn the "big-boy" win.
"Our hard work, it’s adding up," Moser said. "Young people, they have to buy into certain things. I think these guys are believing in what they are doing... They are getting excited about it."
Hill scored nine of the Sooners' final 11 points and finished with 18 points. Tanner Groves added a game-high 20 points, while Umoja Gibson chipped in 15 points.
"I just wanted to finish out the game and give our fans a W," Hill said. "I pretty much tried to take care of the ball and hit free throws without dumb and silly fouls or turnovers. I was just being smart and knew it was time to score."
Here are three takeaways from the contest:
Homecourt advantage is a real thing
Jordan Goldwire is a man of the people.
The 9,539 spectators at Lloyd Noble Center were dying to erupt once OU tipped off against Florida, and Goldwire fed into the frenzy.
Gators forward Colin Castleton drew a double team in the paint on the opening play, and Goldwire stole a kick-out pass by the big man before racing down the court. He then sank a floater for the first bucket of the night, which sparked an uproar from the Sooner supporters.
OU started the game on a 9-0 run, which came as a welcomed sight. The Sooners haven't had the best of starts this season, but they also haven't played in front of a home crowd like the one on Wednesday.
Before the Florida game, OU only averaged 5,933 fans in its other three home contests where the attendance was recorded. Lloyd Noble Center has a maximum capacity of roughly 11,500 seats.
"The fans were amazing," Groves said. "They were a huge momentum shift for us... If a lot of them weren't there, I don't think we would have won that game."
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Sooners need more bench production
Florida needed a spark.
The Gators trailed 9-0 with 16:09 on the clock when Fleming Jr. came off the bench and got his team on the board with a pair of made free throws. The graduate student then stole the ball from Jordan Goldwire on the ensuing inbounds pass and fed Anthony Duruji for a one-handed slam.
Fleming Jr. finished the first half with a game-high 14 points, and his second-unit spark kept Florida afloat. The Gators tallied 16 bench points compared to the Sooners' 2 entering halftime and only trailed 37-36 as a result.
The second half proved to be more of the same. Florida went on to win the bench-points battle 19-6.
OU has struggled to get scoring production out of its supporting cast. The Sooners averaged 29.8 bench points per game through their first four contests, but that average is down to 12.5 in their last four games.
Gibson is essential to OU backcourt
Gibson was feeling himself.
After draining a corner 3-pointer on the previous possession to give OU a 46-45 lead with 15:07 left in the contest, the senior Sooner could be seen begging C.J. Noland to give him the ball.
Noland obliged, and Gibson went to work on Florida's Myreon Jones.
Gibson took one dribble inside the arc before stopping on a dime and hitting Jones with a stepback. The Florida guard tried to recover, but Gibson elevated and sank the long 2-pointer to give him a game-high 15 points.
Gibson continues to establish himself as OU's top scoring option in the backcourt. The veteran guard is averaging 11.8 points per game this season while shooting 40.5% from the floor and 37% from deep.
"(Gibson) is getting more and more confident with different things," Moser said. "He’s even had ultra-confidence with his shot... He hit some big shots."
Justin Martinez can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or @JTheSportsDude on Twitter. Make sure to subscribe to The Oklahoman to stay up to date with all local sports.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU vs. Florida men's basketball score, game recap, takeaways
