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Florida cruises past Virginia

Mar 16, 2012 - 11:00 PM Omaha, NE (Sports Network) - Bradley Beal posted a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, and the Florida Gators overpowered the Virginia Cavaliers, 71-45, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Casey Prather also scored 14 points for the Gators (24-10), who are seeded seventh in the West Region and will next face Norfolk State in Sunday's third round.

The 15th-seeded Spartans stunned Missouri later on Friday.

Patric Young contributed 13 points and seven boards for a Florida squad that entered the tourney having dropped four of its last five games.

Mike Scott finished with 15 points, the lone Virginia (22-10) player to score more than eight.

"Certainly we were thoroughly outplayed," said Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett. "I told our guys I felt like we were better than we showed, but certainly I give the credit to Florida."

The Cavaliers, who were held to their lowest point total in tourney play, led by as many as eight early on before the Gators took control, using a 12-2 run to erase an 18-13 deficit.

The nation's top three-point scoring team with an average of 9.9 per game this season, Florida missed its first 13 attempts from beyond the arc until Scottie Wilbekin converted with 1:08 left in the first half. The trey put the Gators up 30-22 at the break.

"The first half was off-set by both teams shooting poorly. We had an eight- point lead because of turnover and offensive rebounding and points in the paint," said Florida head coach Billy Donovan.

Virginia hung around in the opening moments of the second half, closing to within six on a Sammy Zeglinski three-pointer. But Prather buried a three- pointer to spark a 17-2 run. Beal nailed a jumper to put the Gators up 53-32 with 9:14 remaining.

The outcome was never in doubt the rest of the way as the Gators wound up shooting 69.6 percent over the final 20 minutes.

Game Notes

Kenny Boynton, Florida's leading scorer (16.3 ppg), recorded eight points, five rebounds and two steals...The Gators improved to 6-1 this season while playing on a neutral court...Florida notched its seventh straight win over an ACC opponent...The Cavaliers made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007...Florida lost the only previous meeting with Virginia in the semifinals of the 1992 NIT...The Gators made just 4-of-23 three-pointers...Florida outrebounded Virginia 39-23...Jontel Evans and Zeglinski each had eight points for the Cavaliers, who were held to 38.3 percent shooting.