They may have underperformed some but those 4 guards can certainly match what our guards do
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Let's Talk Florida
- Thread starter Tampa_cat54
- Start date
I love Ugo, man! He’s kinda our enforcer! If we run into a team with a big brute of a big man, he’s our counter. Bradshaw can hold his own somewhat, but Ugo would be a better matchup. Really enjoying seeing this kid contribute. I knew he would. Too talented not to.
Checking in. Hopeful for a big win on Saturday but our three point defense has been subpar all year. Our outstanding offensive rebounding has won us some games where the defense allowed way too many threes.
We also have way too many absolutely stupid turnovers. Two winnable games were lost and could definitely be attributed to turnovers.
Still, this is the best team we've had in years. They are also fun to watch and play hard. At least we will see where we stand and need to continue to work on when Saturday rolls around.
Florida is one of the very very few teams with the guards to run with us. Clayton, Richard, Pullin, and Kugel off the bench is an ELITE college backcourt.
Florida also leads the SEC in rebounding.
We have more top-end talent, but if we are off from the 3-point line and we don't find a way to keep up with them on the glass, we are not leaving Gainesville with a W. That is a very solid Florida team, and a rowdy O'Dome being our first true road game is rough sledding.
Florida also leads the SEC in rebounding.
We have more top-end talent, but if we are off from the 3-point line and we don't find a way to keep up with them on the glass, we are not leaving Gainesville with a W. That is a very solid Florida team, and a rowdy O'Dome being our first true road game is rough sledding.
Pretty wild how much the SEC is underrated and disrespected in basketball. This Florida teams sounds like they should at least be getting some votes. Hell, it took Ole Miss climbing to like 13-0 before they were ranked and then they were ranked 25th lmao Mississippi State is 10-2 and completely off the radar as well. Unbelievable really.
Seems like the SEC shoots itself in the foot every non-con season. Not enough to play top teams from other conferences, you've got to beat them every now and then (looking at you ablabama and tennessee) for the conference to do well in the computer metrics.
Florida has 3 losses. Against UVA and Baylor on neutral courts (I think), and at Wake.
They’ve been solid all season, no real marquee wins to this point. I think their best wins are a blowout win over FSU and a close win against Michigan.
That doesn’t really matter much right now IMO. They have elite guards and lead the league in rebounding. We can’t just show up and run those dudes off the court, we will have to make shots, defend, and compete on the glass.
This is as tough of a first road game for us as we could have asked for.
I think it will be fun to see how we react with some of our players in foul trouble. SEC whistle on an Opponent's Floor. Never Kind.
Few things about this game
1) Florida plays extremely fast this season. This will most likely be a high scoring game.
2) Florida is rebounding over 41% of their misses on offense. We absolutely have to rebound better.
3) They get to the line often but only make 65% of their free throws
4) They do not take a bunch of 3s on offense.
1) Florida plays extremely fast this season. This will most likely be a high scoring game.
2) Florida is rebounding over 41% of their misses on offense. We absolutely have to rebound better.
3) They get to the line often but only make 65% of their free throws
4) They do not take a bunch of 3s on offense.
Cal's got me nervous-already projecting "rock fights" in SEC play. Understand a coach has to at times think ahead and be "negative" in his own mind to prepare to adjust and help his team get through a game, but it's one area I get very frustrated with Cal-do NOT project how something is going to take place. You have personnel who can score the ball and play aggressive/attacking basketball. Enough of the damn rock fight talk.
I'm not too worried about the rock fight here.
Our avg possession length on offense is 15.1 seconds. It's the 17th fastest.
UF avg possession length on offense is 14.9 seconds. It's the 10th fastest.
More like this one is in the 80s than 60s. But who knows lol.
Our avg possession length on offense is 15.1 seconds. It's the 17th fastest.
UF avg possession length on offense is 14.9 seconds. It's the 10th fastest.
More like this one is in the 80s than 60s. But who knows lol.
4 of us from the Tampa area will be there. Go Cats!
Just move the narrative however one needs to shed the worst light on Cal.
None of those nerd numbers matter to this team.
Or any team. Michigan had lost 6 straight post season games. Didn’t seem to bother them yesterday.
Their 3 point defense is poor, and their 3 point made percentage is also not good. If we hit them we should be fine. I agree- if it’s a bad shooting night we definitely can lose.
Hope Reed is prepared. I have a feeling he is going to be a “hating” target when playing on sec opponents floors . I’m probably going to get pissed , lol .
I suspect we'll see a "Mom was better" sign or two in the stands...
Reed would actually LOVE that ! lol
It's definitely a game where you want to stay in front of your man and block out, as opposed to denying the passing lanes or running out early.
This game is certainly not a given. Historically we have had some battles in Gainesville.
Cal is 9-5 in his first SEC road game. (Losses in 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023). Winning the first conference road game is a good litmus test. Only one Cal team (2011) lost its first SEC road game and made a FF.
Cats need to take care of the ball, stop dribble penetration, hit the glass and shoot 40+ percent from the field and 35+ percent from 3.
Cal is 9-5 in his first SEC road game. (Losses in 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023). Winning the first conference road game is a good litmus test. Only one Cal team (2011) lost its first SEC road game and made a FF.
Cats need to take care of the ball, stop dribble penetration, hit the glass and shoot 40+ percent from the field and 35+ percent from 3.
Florida is dynamite on the offensive glass, but they are about the same as us on the defensive glass. This highlights how important it is to not lump rebounding into one category. Defensive and offensive rebounding are two different skills.
The more I look into this matchup the tougher I think it is becoming.
Florida is a very deep and balanced team. They have 9 guys who average 12+ minutes per game (UK has 8) and have 5 guys who average 11+ points per game (UK also has 5).
UK is a better shooting team (FG, 3 pt, FT) than Florida but Florida gets a ton of second chance points by averaging 16.2 offensive rebounds per game.
Florida is a very deep and balanced team. They have 9 guys who average 12+ minutes per game (UK has 8) and have 5 guys who average 11+ points per game (UK also has 5).
UK is a better shooting team (FG, 3 pt, FT) than Florida but Florida gets a ton of second chance points by averaging 16.2 offensive rebounds per game.
Another work trip to the Cincy area (Dayton) set, so yet again I'll be swinging down to Rupp on the 31st for the UF game! Haven't been to two games in a season in a long time!
Yeah, they are one of the best rebounding teams in America.
I have been saying all year that I think Florida beats us in Gainesville. We will see, but this is going to be an incredibly tough game in front of a sold out, rowdy crowd.
Well, they don't have much of a resume, so my concern has lessened. Only ranked team they played was Baylor, and they lost (by only 4, but still a loss). Even mighty Virginia and Wake Forest beat UF.
About the only thing they have going for them is this being at their place, and maybe if we still are resigned to trying to out shoot them and play minimal defense. Rebounding is important, but Ill St just outrebounded us and we still won by 26 pts.
UK's 1997-98 championship team lost to Louisville and Florida teams with losing records at home, so it has happened before. I look at UNC-Wilmington as a fluke and not indicator of this team's potential for success.
Like the Brandon Knight year where they lost six road games and made the Final Four. Conference road losses have little bearing on whether a team is a contender or not.
If Kentucky minimizes floridas offensive rebounding and forces them to make the first shot attempt then I like Kentucky in this game. Florida doesn’t play a lick of defense and is in “ hope they miss territory”
For clarity, UF was missing a key player in all 3 games. VA without Pullin, and the other 2 without our starting C.
We’ll see how it shakes out.
UK isn’t rated much better in scoring defense at #236
Would expect a high scoring game
UK doesn’t play defense either
