After the Florida Gators basketball team (9-5, 1-1 SEC) experienced their first conference loss on the road against Tennessee, they are ready to get back on campus and take on the LSU Tigers (9-5, 2-0 SEC) on Saturday, January 9 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at 1:30 p.m.
The Gators are 27-20 at home all-time against the Tigers, but they lost the last meeting in the Swamp 79-61. However, it’s a new year and a new team (had to get this cliché in at some point in January) and Florida is ready to put up a fight with the odds against them for Saturday’s matchup.
Florida Notables:
– In their game against Tennessee, it marked the first time all season that Florida was outscored in points off turnovers at 22-18.
– Transfer forward Justin Leon had his first double-digit scoring game including three treys. He started the last two games for the Gators, both of the contests being SEC play. Prior to those two games he had not started all season.
– Florida has improved their shooting from downtown since starting conference play. In non-conference play the Gators were shooting .274, but in their last two games they are at .375.
– Freshman KeVaughn Allen has led the team in scoring in the last four games, averaging 20.8 points in that span.
LSU Overview:
It’s no secret that LSU has one of the most intense offenses to go up against in the SEC – especially with someone as unfathomably athletic as freshman forward Ben Simmons. Simmons is averaging 20.1 points and 12.9 rebounds per game in his debut season for the Tigers – meaning that he is a double-edged threat. If this athlete isn’t producing on one end of the ball, you can guarantee he will find a way to make an impact on the other.
Even though he is the star player, the other players on the team are not any less impressive. There’s Keith Hornsby, a veteran senior guard that’s averaging 16.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Hornsby is more of a threat on offense as well as Craig Victor and Tim Quarterman who average 13.7 and 12.1 points, respectively.
This team’s scoring offense ranks number one in the SEC and is 18th in nation, coming in at 84.3. The Tigers also rank first in the conference in their field goal percentage at .478 in contrast to the Gators’ .416.
Game Predictions:
Florida’s probable starters are Justin Leon and Dorian Finney-Smith as forwards, John Egbunu as center and KeVaughn Allen and Chris Chiozza as guards. However, with Mike White this lineup is completely subject to change as he has had six different lineups so far this season.
In Head Coach Mike White’s own words, “Our energy level and focus has to be off the charts. It can’t be one of us. It has to be all of us. Everyone on the bench, staff included. Focus has to be correct just to keep it on the road with them.”
The only way that the Gators will be able to take down the Tigers is if they keep them from going on runs. This team will have to post up defensively and be more aggressive on offense than they have been. Freshman KeVaughn Allen has been averaging 20.8 points over the past four games and John Egbunu, Dorian Finney-Smith and Devin Robinson have each gotten some double-doubles this season. However, Florida typically will have one or two players that are able to put numbers up. In this game’s case, they will have to have a team of stars rather than a few leaders.
What this game means:
For Florida, this game would get them back in a winning record for conference play. They have been pegged as the underdog in this matchup and if they are able to walk away with a win it could drastically impact their confidence for the rest of the season.
As for the Tigers, this win would keep them undefeated in SEC play after coming off of back-to-back wins off of Kentucky and Vanderbilt. This team is coming in with confidence and wining this game would only give them more momentum as they continue on in SEC play.
Tune in to CBS to see for yourself who will take the cake in Gainesville on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.