OMAHA, Neb. . -- With his 1.5-point scoring average, Casey Prather surely wasnt a big part of Virginias scouting report on Florida. You can bet any team that plays Florida the rest of the NCAA tournament will know who he is. Prather scored a career-high 14 points on a rare day Floridas 3-point shooters went cold, and the Gators had no trouble beating the Cavaliers 71-45 Friday in the NCAA Midwest Regional. "On a big stage like this, he was probably a very unlikely candidate to step up and do what he did for us tonight," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "Im happy for him, because hes a great kid." Prather made 6 of 7 shots in a season-high 22 minutes, using a cool spin move to get to the basket for a baseline layup in the middle of the second half. But his best shot came late when he dunked off Erving Walkers alley-oop pass. "I woke up trying to be focused on the game and what I could do to help the team," the sophomore reserve said. Prather had played more than 10 minutes in a game just twice since mid-December and hadnt scored more than six points in any previous game this season. In his last 16 games he had scored a total of 15 points. "He gave them a great lift," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. "When you look at someone off the bench to give you a spark -- I dont want to say you werent counting on him -- but that is a pleasant surprise, and he was that for them." Bradley Beal also had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Patric Young had 13 points on 6-for-6 shooting with three dunks. Those efforts were enough to offset the Gators 4-for-23 shooting on 3-pointers. They entered the game averaging a nation-leading 9.9 a game but missed their first 13 attempts. No. 7 seed Florida (24-10) pierced Virginias vaunted defence -- the Cavaliers were giving up just 53.7 points a game -- to get to the boards for second-chance baskets. The press also generated some easy buckets for the Gators, helping them go 24 of 30 from inside the arc. "We were struggling to score in the beginning," Walker said. "The press had a huge effect on the game. It got us in our offensive rhythm." The Gators finished the first half on a 17-4 run to shake off a slow start and get out to a 30-22 lead. They shot 70 per cent in the second half and pushed their advantage to more than 20 points with 8 minutes left. Mike Scott had 15 points for Virginia (22-10), which was in the tournament for the first time since 2007. "We came out with a lot of energy and executed on defence, got what we wanted on offence," Scott said. "But they made their run, and they just came out in the second half very strong." The teams second all-time meeting, and first since the 1992 NIT semifinals, was billed as a clash between Virginias pack-line defence and Floridas up-tempo offence. It took a bit for the Gators to adjust to the pack-line, which essentially is a man-to-man system that starts with each Virginia player stationed along an imaginary arc about 16 feet from the basket. A defender doesnt cross the line unless his man gets the ball. When the ball is passed, the defender goes back to the pack and a different defender goes out to cover his man. If the ball penetrates the pack, defenders collapse on the player with the ball and work to force a turnover. Thats what happened on Floridas first possession, with Young getting called for travelling as the defence collapsed on him. The Gators turned over the ball four times in the first 5 1/2 minutes, then just three times the rest of the half. Ten of their first 19 points came on second chances as they knifed through for putbacks. Youngs beauty of a tip-in on Kenny Boyntons missed jumper got the Gators within two points early -- after they fell behind 10-2 -- and back-to-back putbacks by Prather and Beal gave Florida its first lead, 19-18. Scottie Wilbekin finally connected for his teams first 3-pointer with 1:07 left in the half to push the advantage to 30-22. Virginia made only two field goals the last 8 1/2 minutes. Boynton, who came into the game having made 10 of his last 31 3s, was just 3 of 10 overall and 0 for 5 on 3s and finished with eight points -- half his team-leading average. Prather helped pick up the slack with his improbable performance. Donovan called on the 6-foot-6, 212-pounder when he went to a smaller lineup. He played the power forward spot, matched against the 6-8, 237-pound Scott. "The biggest thing with Casey, as long as hes not turning the ball over, hes going to play more," Donovan said. "He played within himself aggressively instead of getting out of himself. That was the encouraging thing today." Prather said he had been frustrated over his lack of minutes this season but is excited about the possibility of making up for lost time. "Coach Donovan told me to stay the course and my time would come," Prather said. "I guess this was a good time for it to come." [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-jo-lonn-dunbar-jersey-dr-8... Dunbar Jersey .A. spotlight. Not that steering clear of top billing has hurt this magical run, two wins from concluding in the franchises first Stanley Cup banner. . LOUIS -- St. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-matt-giordano-jersey-id-26... . The Wings also picked up transition players Jordan Hall, Joel White, Rob Campbell and a second-round pick in the 2014 draft in the deal. "This trade allows us the opportunity to get the most recognizable player in the sport to join our team," Wings president Michael French said Friday in a release. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-scott-wells-jersey-pl-43.h... Wells Jersey . Instead, in the wake of a humiliating 8-1 defeat in Honduras, they find themselves forced to do yet another post-mortem on the mens soccer program. In the past, Canadian soccer has been used to one step forward, two steps back. . Valladolid began the match looking sharp with fast-paced attacks, and Ebert wrong-footed defender Fernando Navarro and beat the goalkeeper by firing low inside the far post in the second minute.COLWYN BAY -- Canada ran through Russia to win 35-3 on the north Wales coast on Saturday, its third straight win over the Bears. Canada led 16-3 at halftime and 35-3 after 57 minutes, then held out the Russians who played with desperate pride in the last quarter. The Canadians were satisfied after being thumped by Samoa 42-12 at the same Parc Eirias last week. "We felt we had to bring a little more physicality," captain Aaron Carpenter said. "We ran some hard lines and broke them and scored some nice tries." Right winger Jeff Hassler, who made his debut in June, showed off blistering speed in scoring two of Canadas four tries and setting up a third. He claimed his maiden test try in the 18th minute. After Russia knocked on deeep in Canadas half, Canada counterattacked and Hassler blew 50 metres down the right wing. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-chris-givens-jersey-xc-72.... Givens Jersey. James Pritchard converted for 13-3. Pritchard missed only his seventh and last goalkick. Soon after halftime, Hassler took an up-and-under over his shoulder running back in defence, turned, and broke past five defenders before taking the last tackle to run in fellow wing Taylor Paris. Insider centre Nick Blevins scored from his own chargedown three minutes later, and Hassler finished the scoring when he wrongfooted two defenders and outpaced the cover to the right corner. ------ Canada 35 (Jeff Hassler 2, Taylor Paris, Nick Blevins tries; James Pritchard 3 conversions, 3 penalties), Russia 3 (Igor Klyuchnikov penalty). HT: 16-3 ' ' '