Notebook: UF men's basketball adjusts to shooting in dome

ATLANTA — Florida freshman Jai Lucas acknowledged it took him a little while to adjust to shooting at the Georgia Dome on Wednesday afternoon.

"It's a lot different," Lucas said. "The way the seats are set on the far end makes it look like the goal is crooked. It's weird at first but you get used to it."

Lucas, who leads Florida in 3-point shooting accuracy at 44.0 percent, is one of five UF freshmen who took their first crack at shooting in the dome during Wednesday's practice. Florida will need the freshmen to adjust quickly for tonight's game against Alabama.

Lucas, a Houston native, said he played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, in high school, so he's somewhat familiar shooting in a dome setting.

Florida finished the regular season shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 36.3 from 3-point range. But the Gators had some of their biggest struggles shooting in a new arenas on the road this season. Florida shot just 1-of-15 from 3-point range at Memorial Gym in Vanderbilt and 4-for-25 from 3-point range at Bud Walton Arena in Arkansas.

"We played in big arenas all year, we played in the St. Pete Times Forum and big places," Florida freshman guard Adam Allen said. "But this is definitely different. The backdrop instead of wrapping around, it goes straight for us."

Allen, however, looked comfortable shooting in the dome Wednesday, making several uncontested 3-point attempts.

"I felt good," Allen said. "The stroke was good today."

Sticking around

Three prominent Florida players dispelled rumors they were leaving the program or transferring next season.

Junior guard Walter Hodge said he plans to return next year rather than play professionally in his native Puerto Rico to support his wife and year-and-a-half old daughter.

"I can always do that next year," Hodge said. "I want to stay, graduate, get my degree."

Sophomore forward Jonathan Mitchell and Allen said they also plan to come back, despite getting limited playing time off the bench.

"It's been going up and down," said Mitchell, who has a 3.6 grade point average majoring in sports management. "Everybody has that natural feeling of looking at yourself. Now, I have that feeling of looking at the team and I want to do anything I can to help the team win. I think I'm playing at a different level in practices so hopefully it will roll over into the games.

"This is the school, I decided to be here. I want to stay here."

Said Allen: "Definitely, I'll be here (next season)."