FAYETTEVILLE — Watch enough Arkansas basketball and it sometimes looks as if there’s Good Gary and Bad Gary.

That would be Gary Ervin, the senior point guard who often seems to dictate the Razorbacks’ fortunes based on his individual play. When Ervin has more assists than turnovers, Arkansas is 13-2. When Ervin has more turnovers than assists, the Razorbacks are 3-3.

Saturday afternoon against 20 th-ranked Florida, Ervin was near-great, scoring 15 points with 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal — and only 2 turnovers — in 27 minutes. He also was one of the main reasons Arkansas knocked off Florida, 80-61.

“When I play like that, it makes us a better team.... That’s what Coach [John Pelphrey ] has been looking for all season,” Ervin said.

Ervin, a Brooklyn, N. Y., native who transferred from Mississippi State after two seasons there, said Pelphrey isn’t the only one who’s noticed how his play affects the rest of the Razorbacks.

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“It’s kind of funny because it’s not just Coach, but some of my teammates and some of my family back home,” Ervin said. “They look at the box score and whenever I play great, our team plays great. That’s just something I’ve noticed throughout the last two years, so I’ve got to do my best to play my best at all times.” What Pelphrey wants out of Ervin — and starter Stefan Welsh — is steady, not spectacular, play.

“Consistent play at that spot on the floor is critical.... Awful play is just disastrous,” Pelphrey said. “It runs through your whole basketball team.

“ When those guys take care of the basketball, play solid defense and communicate what everybody needs to be doing, then they’re doing their jobs.” Ervin was particularly effective in the first half against Florida, scoring 8 of his 15 points and piling up all 6 of his assists without a turnover. Ervin’s play was reflected in the fact that Arkansas outscored Florida 36-17 when he was on the court while building a 46-21 lead.

“I was just being aggressive,” Ervin said. “When you play timid... sometimes that’s when turnovers are prone to happen. When I stay aggressive and stay in attack mode, that’s some of the things I can do.” Ervin at times has drawn more attention for not performing to expectations. He’s been a lightning rod for criticism on radio call-in shows and Internet message boards.

“I’m used to it, being a point guard,” Ervin said. “That’s something I’ve had to go through for four years.

“ It’s not going to affect our team. We try to stay away from that and do the things that we can control, which is getting better as a basketball team and not worrying about what the outside people are saying. We worry about what the coaching staff and our players think.” Sophomore guard Patrick Beverley said Ervin has remained level-headed despite the ups and downs and the criticism that comes with that.

“He gets a lot of pressure and it’s like he’s the scapegoat sometimes. Everybody blames him,” Beverley said. “It’s just a great thing how he’s been keeping his head and keeping his confidence and going out there and playing basketball.” On Saturday, Ervin played some of his best basketball as a Razorback, and the result was an outstanding performance by Arkansas.

“We’re a very different team when Gary comes in and he gives us quality minutes,” senior swingman Sonny Weems said.