GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida guard Boogie Fland bought a hundred tickets for friends and family to watch him play at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
It will be an expensive homecoming.
Fland grew up in the Bronx and will play at the iconic venue for the second time in as many seasons when the defending national champion and 18th-ranked Gators (5-3) continue their daunting nonconference slate against No. 5 UConn (8-1).
“I’m excited. I’m going to play in front of my peoples,” Fland said Monday. “It doesn’t get no more exciting than that, especially in December, cold, Madison Square Garden, an NBA arena. I’m ready.”
Fland probably needs to play better for the Gators to have a chance against the Huskies in a rematch, of sorts; Florida knocked UConn out of the NCAA Tournament in March.
The 6-foot-3 sophomore who played his freshman year at Arkansas was a big-money acquisition for Florida in the transfer portal, a do-it-all point guard who was supposed to help replace All-American Walter Clayton Jr. But Fland is shooting 39% from the field, including 25% from 3-point range, and has nearly as many turnovers (14) as assists (17).
He had a crucial giveaway in the final minute of a one-point loss at Duke last week. It took him two days to get over it.
“That comes with basketball,” he said. “You just got to watch film, get better, don’t let it happen again. You got to let it fuel you.”
Playing in front of familiar faces could help, too.
He put up 20 points and seven assists in the Razorbacks’ 89-87 victory against Michigan at MSG a year ago. He had roughly 200 friends and relatives on hand for that, and many of them are coming back for his return.
Fland grew up about 35 minutes from the arena and attended games as a kid — not to see the New York Knicks, though. He was a LeBron James fan and made a handful of trips to see his superstar idol as often as possible.
Although Fland might have a crowd cheering his name, the Gators realize UConn will be the bigger draw in New York City. Florida can counter some of that with fewer turnovers and better shot-making — the biggest areas of concern for coach Todd Golden a month into the season.
Florida, which returned its top four big men from last year’s title team, has one of the best frontcourts in the country. Getting up shots and getting putbacks and second chances are part of Golden’s approach. But the Gators are turning the ball over on nearly 20% of their possessions.
“If this team could start living around the 16% or 15% turnover rate, we’re going to give ourselves a great chance to be a really, really good team for the rest of the year,” Golden said.
It starts with Fland, who didn’t have an assist against the Blue Devils. Florida managed only four as a team, the program’s fewest since also finishing with four against Marshall in 2019.
“I think we’re too unselfish,” Fland said.
It also might be that Fland and fellow guard Xaivian Lee have passed up too many shots, the result of the duo hitting just 22 of 97 shots (22.7%) from 3-point range.
They insist it will turn, and there might not be a better venue for Fland to get going than one close to home.
“It’s going to come with time,” Fland said. “It’s a mindset. Basketball’s like a rhythm. You got to find that rhythm. And when you find it, you should be good.”
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