‘We just weren't as sharp’: Todd Golden reacts to UF's win over Norfolk State

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Florida Gators defeated Norfolk State 95-69 on Friday in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. It marked UF’s first win in the Big Dance since 2021.

Here’s everything UF coach Todd Golden said after the victory over the Spartans.

RELATED: Takeaways from the Florida Gators’ 95-69 win over Norfolk State

Todd Golden Q&A

Opening statement:

TODD GOLDEN: “Great win for us. Really proud of the way we played for the first 15 minutes of the game. I thought we played exceptionally well in all three facets, offensively, defensively, and on the glass. Credit Norfolk. Obviously, we got out to a big lead. I thought they did a great job competing. They were able to get downhill on us a little bit, did a great job getting into the paint, finishing over our bigs, and they were able to play us pretty well during the second half. Overall, a great win for us and excited to see who we’re going to play on Sunday.”

On if he’s concerned with the complacency at the end of the first half: 

TODD GOLDEN: “I’m not necessarily concerned moving forward that it’s going to be an issue for us. I think we played exceptionally well for the first 15 minutes and kind of exhaled. Norfolk’s good. They’re quick. They’re really hard to keep in front, and I thought our defensive intensity for the first 15 minutes of the game was elite. We did a great job of staying in front, guarding with physicality. Then when we took a little bit of a breath, we actually had some bad turnovers that led to transition run-outs that gave them a little juice, a little confidence. And they’re very well coached. Coach Jones does a great job continuing to motivate and keeping them engaged in the game. They got a little life. They had an 11-0 run, and I thought they did a good job of taking advantage of that. I’m not necessarily concerned moving forward, but at the same time, no, I did not want the challenge. I would have preferred to continue to keep our foot on the gas and not give them any life. Again, you can’t necessarily dictate everything for 40 minutes, and Norfolk is a really prideful group, and they play incredibly hard. And as I said, they’re very quick, and they’re hard to keep in front.”

On Golden’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory: 

TODD GOLDEN: “Just excited, very happy, and hopefully this is the first of many over the next few years. This team has been great for us all year and put us in a position where we could be a 1 seed and have a game like this where we’re heavily favored and had a very good opportunity to win a ballgame. I’m grateful for my players and my staff for that.”

On the rebounding battle: 

TODD GOLDEN: “I thought we were fantastic on the offensive glass, about as good as you could be. We got 66 percent of our misses back, which is an outrageous number. But I thought on the defensive glass we were not very good. I thought we coasted a little bit. I didn’t think we were very physical on the defensive glass. I thought we were trying to win 50-50 jumping battles as opposed to putting bodies on guys and blocking them off and keeping them away from the rim. Again, that was something I thought we just relaxed a little bit once we got out to that big lead, and it’s something we’ve got to correct and be better Sunday regardless of who we play.”

On the ball movement, 29 assists: 

TODD GOLDEN: “We’re elite that way. Our team is really unselfish. We do a great job of sharing the ball. A big part of our scout was to make the simple play. Norfolk, the way they guard, they really do a good job of keeping you out of the paint and helping off that next player, so there’s not a lot of opportunities to drive the gaps. It’s like one dribble and move it to the next guy. We do a very good job that way. That’s kind of who we are. It’s in our DNA, and it’s why we’ve been a very good offensive team all year. Our guys share it well. I thought we were a little sloppy in the second half with the ball. We had 10 turnovers in the last 24 minutes of that game, and we’ve just got to improve that. Overall, the way we shared and our unselfishness is really good.”

On how being upset at the complacency is a reflection of UF’s maturity and expectations: 

TODD GOLDEN: “It’s what our program is. We’re not necessarily worried about results, we’re more worried about process, and our process was not nearly as good after the first 15 minutes of the game. Regardless of the final score, we just weren’t as sharp as we expect to be, and what we feel like we need to be if we want to make a run in this tournament. Alijah, really all three of our seniors, Alijah obviously has the experience of going deep, but Walt’s a fantastic player, Will’s a fantastic player, and they know, they understand what the standard is. All three of those guys are expected to raise the bar and hold their teammates accountable that way. There were possessions where Will and Walt were not their best defensively tonight. We need them to be better on Sunday. Collectively, I think our guys understand we just didn’t execute as well as we needed to tonight that way.”

On how UF balanced the minutes to stay fresh: 

TODD GOLDEN: “We haven’t played since last Sunday. So I think we’re pretty fresh anyways, but it was good to be able to limit everybody. It looks like we were able to limit everybody to under 28 minutes. So getting back quickly on the floor on Sunday, we should be good that way. I thought our bench, Micah was great again, just dominating the glass. Created so many second chance opportunities for us, does a great job keeping us in our offense, three assists. His turnover was kind of flukey late. Tommy, I thought, played with great energy. He took good shots, didn’t shoot it well from the perimeter, but did what he does, making winning plays for us and zero turnovers. I thought Urby was pretty tight. I expected him to play better. I thought Zelly was pretty good. Waiting for Zay to get in there and get a dunk late.”

On Walter Clayton Jr. setting the tone: 

TODD GOLDEN: “Yeah, he’s obviously playing at an incredibly high level right now. He is a threat to score any time he has the ball in his hands. Regardless of where he is in the frontcourt, 30-foot shots for him are what most toeing the lines 3s are for most guys. They’re great shots for us, and they have a very high percentage chance to go in. When you’re getting 66 percent of your misses back, it’s a really great analytical shot for us. He’s just playing at such a high level, but he’s been doing this all year. You know. You watch our team all the time. You’re at all of our games. I’m very proud and happy for him that he got the notoriety he deserves, being an AP first team All-American and kind of sweeping those first team All-American honors. He’ll continue to lead us, and we’ll go as far as he and the perimeter goes and as hard as our frontcourt plays the rest of the year.”