New York ? Add Florida to the list of menâÂÂs college basketball teams destined to live and die by the three-point shot.

Exhibit No. 1: The Preseason NIT.

Florida made 14 of 31 three-point attempts — 45.2 percent — in dispatching Kansas University 83-73 in Friday nightâÂÂs consolation game. But the Gators cashed only 8 of 28 — 28.4 percent — in bowing to Stanford, 69-65, on Wednesday night.

âÂÂThe three-point goal is the equalizer,â Florida coach Billy Donovan said.

No doubt about that. Kansas outrebounded the Gators 50-39, and shot 20 more free throws.

âÂÂWe got absolutely annihilated on the backboard,â Donovan said. âÂÂAnd we also got annihilated at the free-throw line.âÂÂ

The Gators won anyway because they canned 11 more three-pointers than Kansas. Florida nailed six straight shots — five of them threes — during a white-hot early second-half spurt that carried the Gators to a 19-point lead. Then, after Kansas stormed to within a basket with 71âÂÂ2 minutes left, Florida went on another three-point binge.

Five different Florida players drilled treys. Four — Matt Bonner, Matt Walsh, Anthony Roberson and Brett Nelson — had three apiece.

âÂÂWeâÂÂre such good shooters,â said Walsh, the Gatorsâ prize freshman, âÂÂthat we probably could have six or seven guys make three threes.âÂÂ

Seven different players launched the long-range shots, made more difficult because the extra-point line is nine inches deeper than it will be during the regular season — the international three-point line has been utilized on an experimental basis during the Preseason NIT.

The 6-foot-6 Walsh and Bonner, a 6-10 senior, shared game scoring honors with 22 points each.

âÂÂI thought our kids came out and played with energy,â Donovan said. âÂÂKansas fought all the way back, but I thought we did a good job of closing out the game.âÂÂ

Practically all of FloridaâÂÂs three-point shots were wide-open and that, Donovan said, was by design.

âÂÂThe way Kansas plays defense they really get out and overplay and deny,â he said. âÂÂWhat we had to do was space the floor, and I thought we had great, great spacing.âÂÂ

On Thanksgiving Day, Donovan made his players watch the entire tape of the Stanford loss before practice, pointing out how they failed to make the extra pass to the wide-open shooter.

âÂÂI think they came in — especially the young guys — wanting me to feel sorry for them,â Donovan said. âÂÂBut I think they realized they had a great opportunity to play against a great team. Then last night I think their personality changed a little bit.âÂÂ

Still, this is November and the 2002-2003 season is in its infancy.

âÂÂKansas will become a better team and I think weâÂÂll become a better team,â Donovan said. âÂÂI know Kansas will have a great year.âÂÂ