GAINESVILLE — Florida’s struggling shooting guard Xavian Lee is searching for answers and a few shots to fall as the No. 10 Gators head to San Diego for the holidays.
Lee’s misfires from 3-point range highlight a team-wide struggle for the Gators, whose 25.7% success rate from beyond the arc ranks 346th of 361 teams and ahead of only Boston College (25%) among power conference teams.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYet, Lee has been off the mark more than others. The Princeton transfer hasn’t made a 3 in two games and 11 tries since he made 1 of 10 as Florida (4-1) slipped by Florida State 78-76 Nov. 11 in the the O’Connell Center.
Lee’s slump has reached the point he’s pressing and his confidence is flagging.
“It’s obviously a little mental right now,” coach Todd Golden Monday. “He’s gotta loosen up a little bit and just let the ball get through the net a couple times.”
During the Gators’ 85-40 win last Friday against Merrimack, Lee failed to score a point for the first time since he was a freshman. Even Florida’s 7-foot-9 walk-on Olivier Rioux scored on a free throw, the redshirt freshman’s historic first points as a collegian.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGolden hopes a change of scenery and two-day Thanksgiving tournament, beginning Thursday against TCU (3-2), helps Lee find his stroke. Wisconsin and Providence square off in the other game.
“He’s not shooting it well right now. That’s obvious,” Golden said. “Do I have confidence that eventually he’ll get comfortable? Yeah, I do. He shot it well all summer. He shot it well in the fall.”
Lee arrived last spring to help Golden rebuild a national championship backcourt featuring first-team All-America Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard.
The main selling point was the 6-foot-4, 180-pound Toronto native’s all-around game — Lee averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals last season. But his 36.6% 3-point shooting accuracy (59 of 161) was more than respectable and could have potentially improved with Florida’s stacked front court drawing away defenders.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“As guys are changing teams and there’s a lot of movement, there’s going to be more cases where guys have a harder time adjusting,” Golden said. “It’s a different role, it’s a different level.”
Lee has delivered in other facets of the game, even exceeding Golden’s expectations on the defensive end. Lee averages 4.8 rebounds, tops among UF’s guards, and has a team-leading 23 assists against 10 turnovers.
“What I’ve been impressed with, and pleased from him is he’s not letting it affect other areas of his game,” Golden said. “That could easily happen for a less mature player.”
Lee’s intangibles have been tested. But he’ll be given time to sort out his shooting woes before Golden decides on shaking up the backcourt, perhaps with top reserve Urban Klavzar supplanting Lee in the starting lineup.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKlazvar is 9 of 27 from 3-point range, or just 33%, but Lee is shooting just 15.8% (6 of 38).
“We’ll give him a little more time to get comfortable,” Golden said. “Hopefully, make some shots.”
In the search for shots to fall, Lee has put in overtime with assistant coach Taurean Green, the point guard of the 2006 and 2007 national title teams. The work could pay off and Lee’s slump could end in San Diego, or Golden will have to consider next steps.
“We’ll give him a little grace and see what he looks like in a couple weeks and we’ll go from there,” Golden said.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]
Up next …
TCU (3-2) vs. No. 10 UF (4-1)
When: 3 p.m., Thursday
Where:Jenny Craig Pavillon, San Diego
TV: FS1
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