Through 10 nonconference games, the No. 23 Florida Gators have faced scrutiny over their backcourt play, but guard Xaivian Lee has learned from the first part of the season and turned his game around.
The Gators and the former Princeton player will start the first of their final trio of non-Southeastern Conference games Wednesday night against the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash of the Northeast Conference in Gainesville, Fla.
Lee has been a large part of the backcourt’s rebound from early poor play, which led to losses against then-No. 1 Arizona and unranked TCU.
Florida (6-4) lost game-changing guards Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard — the top three scorers — off last season’s national championship-winning squad, and Lee (Princeton) and fellow backcourt mate Boogie Fland (Arkansas) were crucial pieces coach Todd Golden brought in to fill the scoring ledger.
It started slowly for Lee, a 6-foot-4 Toronto native who played three seasons for the Ivy League’s Tigers.
An up-tempo, driving, streaky shooter, Lee shot just 22 percent (13 of 59) from the field in his first six games through the Gators’ 84-80 loss to TCU on Nov. 27. Worse yet, he made just seven of 42 3-pointers (16.7 percent).
But Lee, who averages 11 points per outing, is scoring 16.8 over the past four contests in which the Gators have gone 2-2 with defeats against No. 4 Duke and No. 5 UConn.
“I try to always keep my confidence on a hundred (percent) no matter what, but it was definitely tested early in the season, but I think that’s going to make me stronger and us better as a team, (especially) when we get down to SEC play,” said Lee, who also averages five rebounds. “We’re not where we want to be right now, but I think we’re building to where we can be.”
Three other Gators score more than Lee: Thomas Haugh (18.6), Alex Condon (13.9) and Fland (12).
Rueben Chinyelu posts 9.8 points and 10.7 boards.
In taking the court against Florida, Saint Francis (2-9) will be facing a defending national champion for the first time ever. The school also played 2019 national champion Virginia in 2021, the season after COVID claimed the 2020 campaign and produced no title-winning team.
Before the season opened, coach Luke McConnell said a rigorous early schedule would be beneficial when his club starts NEC action by hosting Le Moyne on Jan. 2.
“We have always believed in putting together a tough and challenging nonconference schedule,” McConnell said. “Our group looks forward to the challenge and I am excited to compete with them against some high-level competition from all around the country. Our guys will be well prepared as we head into NEC play.”
The road has been tough so far for the Red Flash.
They opened by being pounded by Oklahoma and TCU by 36 points and 41, respectively, setting the tone for a frustrating start.
In their most recent outing Sunday, they lost 95-67 at Temple, a second straight setback and their third in the past five contests.
Over 11 games, senior Skylar Wicks has been the high scorer on six occasions and led in rebounding eight times. The guard from Jersey City, N.J., is averaging 18.8 points per game and 7.8 rebounds.
