Florida beats Stanford in Battle 4 Atlantis

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) - Deaundrae Ballard scored a career-best 19 points to help Florida beat Stanford 72-49 in Thursday's consolation bracket at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

KeVaughn Allen added 13 points for the Gators (3-2), who arrived in the Bahamas with an offense that hadn't performed the way coach Mike White expected. Then they scored 60 points in a first-round loss to Oklahoma, leaving White to say confidence was an issue for his team.

Things went smoother against the Cardinal (2-3). Florida shot 52 percent, including making 7 of 15 3-pointers.

The Gators took control early as Stanford's offense sputtered. Florida led 32-13 by the break, the fewest points allowed in a half under its fourth-year coach.

Cormac Ryan scored 12 points for Stanford, which made 5 of 23 shots with 13 turnovers in an opening half that essentially decided this one.

Florida plays Friday in the fifth-place game, while Stanford plays for seventh.