GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Kerry Blackshear Jr. had 20 points and 10 rebounds in his Florida debut and the sixth-ranked Gators opened their most anticipated season in more than a decade with a 74-59 victory over North Florida on Tuesday night.

  • Three Gators scored double-digit points: newcomers Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Tre Mann as well as sophomore Noah Locke
  • No. 6 Florida received their highest preseason ranking in the AP poll since prior to the 2006-07 season when the Gators were defending national champions
  • Florida will host Florida State on Sunday, looking to break a five-game losing streak in the rivalry

Blackshear was every bit as good as advertised. The 6-foot-10 graduate transfer who came to Gainesville after four years at Virginia Tech added three assists and two steals.

Blackshear made 8 of 11 shots, including a 3-pointer, and was perfect from the free throw line. He gave the Gators their first significant inside presence since Patric Young five years ago. Of course, it came against an overmatched team from the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Blackshear and Florida should get a better test against rival Florida State on Sunday.

Still, Blackshear’s arrival this summer made the Gators an instant title contender in the Southeastern Conference. He joined a team that returned three starters to go along with coach Mike White’s best recruiting class, which featured high school All-Americans Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann.

Lewis finished with nine points, five rebounds and two assists in his college debut. Mann had 11 points and four boards.

Noah Locke chipped in 14 points for the Gators.

JT Escobar led North Florida with 15 points. Garrett Sams added 14.

Florida was 3 of 15 from 3-point range, but overcame those long-range woes by outscoring the Ospreys 38-14 in the paint.

The Gators got off to a slow start and even trailed early. But they used a 16-0 run midway through the first half to seize control of the game.

BIG PICTURE

North Florida: The Ospreys return eight of their top nine scorers from last season, including four senior starters. They were picked to finish second in the Atlantic Sun Conference, with Sams, Wajid Aminu and Ivan Gandia-Rosa giving them a chance to win the league.

The Ospreys were undersized against Florida, but could have kept is close if they made a few more 3-pointers.

Florida: The Gators were a popular preseason pick to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, and they showed flashes of dominance on both ends against UNF.

UP NEXT

North Florida: Hosts Florida National of the NAIA on Thursday. It’s the first of four straight for UNF at home.

Florida: Hosts rival Florida State on Sunday. The Gators have lost five in a row in the series.