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OXFORD, Miss. Cleveland Cavaliers Black Friday Jersey . -- Mississippis Marshall Henderson unleashed a first-half scoring spree that put No. 2 Floridas school-record winning streak in danger. The Gators were impressed. And then they made sure it didnt happen again. Jolted awake by Hendersons 22 points in the first half, Florida clamped down to keep him scoreless in the second half and then fought its way to a 75-71 victory on Saturday afternoon. Scottie Wilbekin scored 18 points and Michael Frazier II added 17 as the Gators (25-2, 14-0 Southeastern Conference) extended their winning streak to 19 games. "We had a heightened sense of urgency to start the second half, especially on (Henderson)," Frazier said. "We did a better job of staying locked in on him and staying locked in as a whole." Ole Miss (16-11, 7-7) has lost four in a row. Jarvis Summers added 20 points for the Rebels. The game was tied at 59 with eight minutes left, but Florida scored the next seven points to take control. Henderson missed all six of his shots in the second half. The Gators could very well be the No. 1 team in the country when the new polls are released on Monday. The current No. 1 Syracuse lost on Wednesday to Boston College. But Frazier and Florida coach Billy Donovan said that wont mean much. "This team understands that the whole is greater than its parts," Donovan said. "But we need to play better and Im talking about that from an effort standpoint." Ole Miss badly needed a quality win for its mediocre NCAA tournament resume and played like a desperate team for much of the afternoon. But the Gators steadily put the Rebels away with quality offensive possessions late in the second half. "We gave a winning effort," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. "But weve got to make plays and we didnt make plays." Florida had to survive Hendersons impressive barrage in the first half just to have a chance. Its not the first time Henderson has had a big moments against the Gators. He scored 21 points against Florida last season in the SEC tournament championship -- adding a memorable Gator Chomp motion as the Rebels ended up winning 66-63. And it was quickly apparent on Saturday that the 6-foot-2 senior was feeling good again. He shot 7 of 14 from the field -- including 5 of 11 from 3-point range -- as the two teams fought to an entertaining 42-all tie by halftime. The Gators vaunted defence, which is easily the best statistically in the SEC, had few answers for Henderson early. He made several difficult shots with a hand in his face. It didnt last. Henderson cooled off in the second half -- missing those tough looks that had gone in during the first half -- and Florida did enough offensively to win. "Youre not going to prevent (Henderson) from shooting and in the first half it was a wash -- him versus our team," Donovan said. "In the second half, it just didnt go in." The Rebels stayed in the game thanks to a big second half from Anthony Perez and Summers. Perez made a layup to tie it at 59. But Florida responded quickly. Wilbekin stole the ball and passed down the court to Patric Young, who finished with a dunk. Casey Prather made a 10-foot jumper on the next possession and the Gators never trailed again. Florida was relentlessly efficient down the stretch, scoring on nearly every possession in the final minutes. "All I can say is were focused more (late in the game), were more together and more connected," Frazier said. "Thats something we pride ourselves on. We want to become stronger when the adversity becomes stronger." Young added 12 points and five rebounds for the Gators. He made four straight crucial free throws in the final minutes to help Florida keep its lead. Henderson finished 7 of 20 from the field, including 5 of 16 from 3-point range. He tied Pat Bradleys SEC record by hitting a 3-pointer in a 60th consecutive game. The Gators havent lost since a 65-64 setback to UConn on Dec. 2. Chicago Bulls Cyber Monday Jersey . 10 San Diego State to a 73-64 win over UNLV on Wednesday night. Minnesota Timberwolves Black Friday Jersey . Johns IceCaps dominated the Portland Pirates 5-1 on Wednesday in American Hockey League play. VANCOUVER -- Vancouver Whitecaps coach Martin Rennie is known for stressing the positive, but he was unusually blunt Saturday. Aside from goalkeeper David Ousted, Rennie spared no players his wrath after the Whitecps dropped a 1-0 decision to a Real Salt Lake squad, which fielded mostly a second-team lineup, before a sellout crowd of 21,000 at B.C. Place Stadium. "I dont think anyone played well today, apart from Ousted," said Rennie. "It was just a terrible performance from everyone." Devon Sandovals goal in the ninth minute was the only one that RSL needed. RSL improved to 15-10-6 and gained a share of first place in the Western Conference while ending a losing skid at two games. RSL coach Jason Kreis went with 10 new additions to his starting lineup as he rested key players in preparation for Tuesdays U.S. Open Cup final against D.C. United. The winner of that game will qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League. The Whitecaps (11-11-8) saw their playoff hopes fade some more as they remain four points back of fifth-place Colorado with only four games remaining. Only the top five teams qualify for the post-season. "(It was a) thoroughly disappointing game for us," said Rennie. "Weve had hardly any like that at B.C. Place this season. But for the third game in a row, we started the game badly, which is really frustrating. Its something that weve worked on and focused (on) and made sure we were ready to go. "It wasnt a bad goal. It was a great cross and a good header, but its something we should have defended better." The Whitecaps could have also played much better offensively in the coachs view. Camilo drew into Vancouvers starting lineup after scoring two goals in a second-half substitute role a week earlier in Montreal. Whitecaps striker Kenny Miller missed the game a groin injury. As a result, Tommy Heinemann took his place after impressing in a win over Montreal. Heinemann, rarely used for most of the season, made his second consecutive, and third overall, start. Before last week, he had not started since April 20. Heinemann was dangerous at times but he and Camilo showed little chemistry and midfielders did not link up well with forwards. Rennie tried to inject speed in the second half as he subbed off Heinemann and Gershon Koffie for Kekuta Manneh and Darren Mattocks, respectively in the 54th minute. But the changes had little effect. "We put ourselves in a bad spot to start with, and then I just thought out (offensive) quality was really poor," said Rennie. "I didnt think we got good balls into the box. We didnt really connect any crosses. Our passing in the final third was poor today, and it was a disappointing performance, especially given how well wed played in our last two games." Rennie credited RSL, contending, rather charitably, that it was the best performance by a visiting team at B.C. Place this season. He insisted that his club did not take RSLs subs-turned-starters lightly. "If it hadnt been for saves that David (Ousted) made, it could have been worse for us today," said Rennie. "Im scratching my head as to the way that we performed." RSLs absentees included starting goalkeeper Nick Riimando and midfield stalwart Kyle Beckerman.Houston Rockets Black Friday Jersey. Backup goalkeeper Jeff Attinella, who had not played since August 19 in Portland, registered his first shutout of the season while getting credit for just one save. "It was fun, as a group that doesnt get to play a lot," said Attinella. "But we have a lot of talented players and, really, a team with lot of MLS experience still on the field. "So to come out here and get a result, and kind of right the ship for our team a little bit, and then with Tuesdays U.S. Open Cup (final), hopefully, the momentum carries into Tuesday." Crediting his teams effort, Attinella did not feel overly tested, but said the Whitecaps still "pretty well" and kept him busy with crosses that defenders played well. "We got the early goal, which was huge for us to get off to a fast start," said Attinella. "And then to hold that lead on the road, on a turf field against a team that runs its own numbers forward, I couldnt be happier." RSLs lineup changes paid off early as Sandoval bounced a header past Ousted. It was the third goal of the season for Sandoval, who put in a cross from Lovel Palmer on a counter-attack after the Whitecaps had controlled the run of play in the early going. Ousted appeared to be in good position for a save if Sandoval had put his header in the air instead of sending the ball down. But Ousted still chastised himself for allowing the goal. "I think I should have come across and tried to take the (crossed) ball in the air," he said. "Maybe I get there. Maybe I dont. But (I) at least try to take the header away from him. Im not happy with that goal and Im not happy with my own performance on that goal." Like Rennie, the goalkeeper, who joined the Whitecaps in mid-season from his native Denmark after signing as a free agent, was at a loss to explain his clubs poor effort. He felt the Caps should have done better early and created more scoring chances. "Its an important stage of the season," said Ousted. "We should be able to come out and perform better and be more hungry for each ball and each goal. But we werent there today." He made sensational saves on Yordany Alvarez in the 61st minute, when he lunged to get his hand on the ball, foiled Sebastian Velasquez by diving and catching the ball in his mid-section in the 68th and then getting his body an Olmes Garcia shot from the right side of the area a little while later. But Ousted was not willing to accept praise from Rennie or anybody else. "Were here as a team," said Ousted. "So when youre talking about the team, youre talking about 11 of us (on the field), and Im in there. Im not happy with the way we performed -- myself included. We should have done better, especially in this part of the season." "Weve put ourselves in a difficult spot when we go forward," said Rennie. "But weve still got plenty of time to get the wins that we need." Notes--Whitecaps winger Omar Salgado has resumed training after recovering from a broken foot, but he is not expected to play again this season. ... Mannehs appearance was just his third in the past 10 games. ' ' ' |
