Last night was a truly disheartening affair for Virginia basketball. The second half witnessed all of the team's deficiencies resurface as Florida poured in an astonishing 48 points. It was a tough blow, especially considering the SEC's dominance in the second ACC/SEC challenge. But let's focus on the first half and the glimmers of hope that emerged.

First Half Highlights

The first six minutes of the game were a sight to behold as Virginia played some of their best basketball all year. The Hoos jumped out to an 18 - 11 lead, a significant advantage that had been rare in recent decades. The first shot of the game was a three-pointer by Isaac McKneely, followed by another deep shot from Dai Dai Ames. Virginia was on fire, shooting 7/10 from the field and 4/6 from beyond the arc. It was a promising start that gave fans hope.In a welcome development, coach Ron Sanchez had his bigs showing great offensive rebounding skills. In Virginia's third possession, Blake Buchanan grabbed an offensive rebound and finished at the rim. Good things truly happen when you grab offensive boards.

Defense and Offense

The defense in the first half was a mixed bag. While Ames and McKneely played great defense, moving their feet and bodying their opponents, they were still powerless to stop some of Florida's powerful players. Florida was just too strong and too powerful across the board. However, Virginia's offense showed some promise. They outshot Florida 51% to 43% from the floor and 42% to 33% from deep. It was good ball movement and superior shooting against a physical top - 20 team.

Turnovers and Rebounding

Containing turnovers is an important part of the Bennett plan, but Virginia committed eight turnovers which Florida turned into eight points. Conversely, Florida had just three turnovers and Virginia wasn't able to convert on any of them. On the rebounding front, Virginia had 13 offensive boards, which is pretty good, but they struggled to keep the Gators off their own boards. Florida had eight offensive rebounds in the first half, and many of them felt like fortunate bounces.

Player Performances

Alijah Martin took McKneely to the restricted arc and scored, showing Florida's offensive prowess. But Virginia also had their moments. With Virginia up 20 - 16, Ames went to the bench with two fouls. But with five minutes left in the half and Virginia down 29 - 22, Sanchez brought Ames back in. Virginia needed him on the floor, and he delivered, scoring on a pair of buckets and having a nice assist to Saunders.While Virginia was giving up 48 second half points, UVa alum Sam Hauser was having a night. Starting in place of the injured Jayson Tatum, Hauser scored 20 points on five made threes as the Celtics defeated a surprisingly feisty Detroit Pistons.Next Up: The Cavaliers open the ACC season with a journey to Dallas to take on SMU on Saturday, December 7th. Game time is 2:15pm ET and the game is on The CW.VIDEO/Transcript: Ron Sanchez Talks Virginia Basketball’s Loss at FloridaKey Takeaways From UVA Basketball’s 87 - 69 Loss at Florida2024 ACC/SEC Basketball Challenge Score Updates | UVA BasketballACC Basketball Weekly Roundup: Power Rankings and the Good, Bad, and UglyUVA Basketball: First NET Rankings Released, Where Does Virginia Stand?