For a former consensus three-star prospect, freshman guard Mike Okauru hasn’t played like one as of late.
While the overall takeaway from Florida’s 72-69 overtime loss was the disappointing collapse down the stretch Wednesday against Georgia, Okauru’s continued emergence was one of the lone bright spots for coach Mike White.
With January being the time when the season begins to wear on most — especially freshmen unfamiliar with the rigors of college basketball — Okauru has instead found ways to overcome the adversity and turn himself into an important role player for the Gators down the final stretch.
“He’s been pretty good,” White said of Okauru. “I think he changed his overall attitude about three weeks ago and got out of the freshman blues, the ‘woe is me, why am I not playing more,’ like a lot of these guys go through.”
As Florida looks to bounce back with a 4 p.m. tip today at Vanderbilt (10-16, 4-9 SEC), White expects Okauru’s role to continue to expand — as long as he maintains the mindset that has helped him break through the wall.
“It just got to a point where I was just fed up with not playing. I just went into (Coach White’s) office and we just talked. He told me what I had to do to get on the court, and I’ve been working hard and doing that ever since,” Okauru said. “I just have to keep working and get better, and know that my time is coming.”
With just five games remaining in the regular season, Okauru and the Gators (17-9, 8-5) face a critical stretch that may make or break the season. Despite Vanderbilt’s subpar record, the Commodores have typically played up to Florida’s level, and their 3-point-centric attack can cause fits for a UF team that has struggled to defend from outside the arc this season.
“(These games) are very critical. We want to get wins,” Okauru said. “We’ve been an up-and-down team all year, so we just want to keep going upward instead.”
Before Wednesday’s 14-point performance, it had been 21 games since Okauru had scored in double digits for the Gators, and just his third such game all season. White said Okauru’s upswing began by altering the way he approaches the game from a mental aspect.
“He himself obtained a renewed, I guess, lack of entitlement. He really just got to work,” White said. “We had a conversation about, ‘Mike, if you work your butt off every single day, you’re going to have an opportunity. If you get three minutes and you wanted 10, you don’t go back in the tank the next day in practice.’ We’ve got to be grown men about this, this is the University of Florida. This isn’t high school basketball. I think that’s where a lot of freshmen have struggles, they feel like they deserve more. When he kind of rearranged his mindset in terms of ‘what do I need to do just to help this team,’ coincidentally he starts playing better. When it’s about the team, you play better. Our veterans, I think, for the most part understand that more so than our young guys. It’s a process, of course.”
For his part, Okauru is just looking to do whatever he can on the court — and in practice, where he’s learning from upperclassmen guards Chris Chiozza and Egor Koulechov how to maintain a groove when the going gets tough — to help Florida achieve its short-term goal: make another run in the NCAA Tournament.
“We don’t want to be in the NIT, for sure. We know what we have to do,” Okauru said. “We’ll get it done.”
Today
Who: Florida (17-9, 8-5 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt (10-16, 4-9)
When: 4 p.m.
Where: Memorial Gym, Nashville, Tenn.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: 103.7-FM, AM-850
PROBABLE STARTERS
FLORIDA
G Jalen Hudson;6-6;RJr.;15.1 ppg; 4.1 rpg
G Chris Chiozza;6-0; Sr.;11.7 ppg;5.9 apg
G Egor Koulechov;6-5; GSr.;14.2 ppg;6.8 rpg
F Keith Stone;6-8; RSo.;8.2 ppg;4.0 rpg
C Kevarrius Hayes;6-9; Jr.;5.2 ppg;5.2 rpg
VANDERBILT
G Riley LaChance;6-2;Sr.;12.9 ppg;3.2 rpg
G Saben Lee;6-2;Fr.;10.3 ppg;3.0 apg
G Maxwell Evans;6-2;Fr.;12.6 ppg;3.3 rpg
F Jeff Roberson;6-6;Sr.;16.2 ppg;7.2 rpg
C Ejikke Obinna;6-9;Fr.;9.6 ppg;3.1 rpg
Notes: Florida is 64-70 all time against Vanderbilt and 17-47 on the road against the Commodores. The Gators are 1-5 against Vanderbilt under Mike White. … White will be coaching his 50th SEC game on Saturday against Vanderbilt. The third-year UF coach is 31-18 in his first 49 SEC games at UF. … Florida leads the SEC in turnover margin (plus-4.) while ranking second in 3-pointers per game (9.1). … Florida junior guard KeVaughn Allen scored 19 points in UF’s 71-68 loss to Georgia, Allen’s highest-scoring output since a season-high 28 points against Arkansas on Jan. 18. Florida’s 35 bench points was its highest output in SEC play this season. … Allen leads the SEC in free throw shooting at 91.7 percent, followed by senior guard Egor Koulechov at 90.7 percent. … The Gators have been outrebounded in 8 of 13 SEC games this season. … Point guard Chris Chiozza leads the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.2-1), while ranking second in the league in steals (1.9 spg) and assists (5.9 apg). … Vanderbilt had scored 81 points in five of its last six games. … The Commodores are 10-5 at home this season.
— Kevin Brockway
Okauru should have been playing much more from the get go but, unfortunately that’s how Mike White rolls. No reason next year that Okauru can’t average 15-16 and I hope it’s with
Florida. His transferring is a possibility as many other programs would love to have him. White has misused him and, generally, the whole bench for the vast part of the season. Ballard and Bassett should have played more also. Would not be surprised if Ballard leaves – White’s stuck it to him just like Okauru. Those two in particular would have to ask themselves why they would want to play for White.
If they lose today, that will be White’s ninth loss as a favorite. Even with a win, they’ll lose their last four. Add in the loss in the SEC tourney and our promising, young coach checks in with fourteen losses! Don’t give me this bs about some of the teams they’ve beaten — with 14 losses and many BAD losses, no way they are going to be selected for Dance! Wonder what the attendance will be in Gainesville for their NIT opener against Coppin State or Hampton? Go Gators!
And you still haven’t named one coach that UF could hire that would do a better job. With your mentality, Donovan would have been fired by his 4th year. Who was responsible for getting the Gators to the Elite 8 just last season? If your answer is the players, then aren’t they responsible for the results lately? I don’t have blind enthusiasm, but I’m also patient enough to let a season play out before calling for a coaches head before he completes his 3rd season! Go Gators!!
Having trouble with the words “throw darts” or “anyone would be better”? Florida could choose among MANY, ANY of whom would be honored to be
Florida’s coach. Real coach – fake coach – starting to get a grasp?
That is complete BS!! Much like most of your ramblings. Let’s hire Bill Flowers he would never lose a game due to coaching. Idiots just ramble, either name a better option or stop. Pretty sure you’re just a troll, because I would like to think no logical Gator fan would be such a moron.
Quit with the name-calling, idiot and moron stuff if you don’t want to receive an email from the Sun Sports Editor.
Mike Okauru should be in at point handling the ball any time CC needs to sit. He is much better than KA, who is a turn over machine. It will also free up KA to just be a shooter. Let him just concentrate on shooting and maybe he will get his stroke back.
Hey, Coach White supporters, might have some decent news for you — and him. About three weeks ago, it looked like Florida would be favored in all the remaining games except Tennessee. Well, s**t happens and you know about S.Carolina, Georgia twice and Alabama.
Now, as Pussy Bompensiero of Sopranos fame might say, “Here’s the beauty part, T.” After today, I think they will only be favored in one game – Kentucky. Now, Mike White will be an underdog and, with the losses, possesses some excuse fodder!
Your Gator Derangement Syndrome is starting to focus almost exclusively on Coach White. Really bizarre stuff. Mention Abilify or Geodon to your Psychiatrist.
Gourmet dinner tonight?
Also doc, if I told you I’m almost 70 and a college graduate, would that make you guess my Syndrome is maybe worse than you thought?