Gary Ervin sparks Razorbacks off bench

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When Arkansas senior point guard Gary Ervin lost his starting job last November, he didn't take it as a demotion.

"It doesn't matter who starts the game," Ervin said. "It's about who finishes."

Ervin provided a lift off the bench for the Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon against Florida, finishing with 15 points and six assists in 27 minutes.

Ervin checked in at the five-minute mark of the game and helped spark a 17-2 first-half Arkansas run with a pair of driving layups to the basket.

"I'm used to it," Ervin said of his bench role. "It's been going well."

Turnovers were an issue early in the season for Ervin (he had six in a loss to Providence, leading to his demotion), but Ervin has played more under control of late. Ervin had two turnovers on Saturday and has 17 in seven SEC games.

"Both of our point guards need to be consistent," Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said, referring to Ervin and sophomore Stefan Welsh. "We don't need spectacular from that position, just consistency."

Ervin said he felt the key to the game was holding Florida freshman guard/forward Nick Calathes to 12 points, 6.1 points under his average of 18.1 points per game in SEC play.

"He's the head of the snake," Ervin said. "If you can cut the head off the snake, then you can start to do the other things."

Allen contributes

After playing just the final seconds off the bench with the walk-ons against Vanderbilt, Florida freshman guard/forward Adam Allen played more significant time Saturday.

Allen checked in late in the first half and finished with five points in 11 minutes.

Allen was 1-for-4 from 3-point range for his third 3-pointer in SEC play.

Overall, the Florida bench scored 19 of its 61 points.

Gotta be the shoes

Both the Arkansas and Florida coaching staff wore sneakers to raise awareness about Coaches vs. Cancer, an organization that stresses the importance of cancer

prevention and early detection.

Division I coaches from throughout the country wore sneakers this weekend in an event promoted by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and American Cancer Society. The Florida staff wore blue Nike sneakers.

Etc.

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley and associate athletic director Greg McGarity attended the game. ... Welsh embraced Florida sophomore center Marreese Speights shortly before tipoff. The two were prep-school teammates at Hargrave Military Academy. ... Arkansas sophomore 6-foot-1 guard Patrick Beverley continued his tear on the boards, leading all players on the floor with 12 rebounds. Beverley came into Saturday averaging 9.5 rebounds per game in SEC play. ... New Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino was at the game and led the fans in the signature call to the hogs (woo ... pig, sooie) cheer during a first-half television timeout.