The Gators went down to the wire against Duke on the road which could end up being one of their most challenging games of the season but Tuesday’s game against the UConn Huskies (8-1) could be just as tough. Currently the Gators sit at 5-3 and are yet to have a marquee win at the top of their resume but they’ll have the chance to do so this week when they battle a Huskies team that is back at the top of the sport looking like a program that could compete for a Final Four or even more. Making matters even more difficult for the Gators is that this game is being played in New York, and while there are plenty of Florida alums in the area that always come out to support the team it will be nothing close to the gigantic crowd of UConn fans that will make the building a heavy Huskies lean.
After winning championships in 2023 and 2024 UConn was slightly “down” last season, though it speaks to just where they are as a program where they can have a down year and that equals an NCAA Tournament appearance where they won their first game and then gave Florida a competitive game, losing 77-75 and giving the Gators just about as big a push as anyone did on the way to the Florida Championship. Following this performance the Huskies retooled and refocused and are back with a vengeance, currently sitting 7th in KenPom with a couple of big wins over BYU, Illinois, and Kansas. Their one loss has come to a common opponent with Florida in Arizona–with the Huskies falling 71-67 at home. This will unquestionably be a quadrant-1 opportunity for the Gators and it will be their chance at the kind of major win that would show they can beat the best teams in the country.
During the two Championships, UConn was known for their potent offense that featured complex actions and loads of player movement, with the constant screening and cutting breaking down defenses who would have no choice but to give up an open look at some point during the lengthy possession. Even last season when the Huskies took a step back overall their offense was still one of the better ones in the country which speaks to what they have built. This season, UConn actually has a different feel–and while they are still running their complex half court offense that can get opponents in binds, it’s actually their defense that has been overwhelming. Currently the Huskies are 7th in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency metric and when you look at how they’ve accumulated the wins they have, it has largely been due to them suffocating their opponent’s offense, taking away any easy points at the rim and forcing long possessions that end in a contested shot. A veteran backcourt featuring returning Solo Ball, Georgia transfer Silas Demary, and Dayton transfer Malachi Smith set the tone with ball pressure and intensity on the perimeter, while 7-footers Tarris Reed and Eric Reibe offer a last line of defense at the rim.
Notably, Tarris Reed has been battling injuries recently and his status for Tuesday’s game is questionable–and UConn could really use his 7’0”, 260 pound frame against the Gators. Reed is actually leading the Huskies in scoring with 15.5 points per game, a nice addition to the muscle he brings on the defensive end and when shots go up. If he doesn’t go, it will be freshman Eric Reibe being put in a huge spot, though so far he has proven he can handle a starting role. The 7’1”, 260 pound freshman has been a strong interior piece already, doing all the stuff you’d like from a player of that size–blocking shots, controlling the glass, and setting huge screens on the offensive end. UConn doesn’t have the same number of bodies as the Gators in the frontcourt, though if Reed is playing they have two giants at the center position. Veteran forward Alex Karaban holds things down at the power forward spot where he brings a ton of skill and shooting, something that will also present some tough matchups for the Gators.
In terms of the perimeter, returner Solo Ball has been rock solid at the wing especially defensively where he can cause problems on the ball and as a help defender, and other than Reed (who technically leads the Huskies in scoring but has only played 4 games) has been the offensive leader at 14.6 points per game, but it doesn’t actually feel like he’s playing at his best yet. Last year, Ball was a deadeye shooter who hit 41% of his threes and was a major benefactor of the open looks created by the Huskies’ offense. This year he has shot just 28% from three, and you can expect him to start hitting a ton more shots at some point.
A familiar name to Florida fans will be Silas Demary who came to the Huskies after starting his career at Georgia where he was a bright spot for the Bulldogs. It’s been a major shift in role and play style for Demary going from Georgia to UConn and while there has been some growing pains he has still found ways to be effective averaging 10.4 points and 5.6 assists, and he has also been elite on the defensive end and often takes the most difficult matchup available. Last year Florida kept him quiet in the first meeting of the season but he played tremendously in the second meeting with 21 points and 3 assists, pretty much willing Georgia to one of their biggest wins of the season.
Most times when teams go to play against UConn the keys to win center against trying to slow down their lethal offensive attack, and while the Huskies are still running their incredible actions and can be tough to guard, Florida’s length around the court should allow them to keep a lot of things in front while they rely on late contests to try and force misses. Really, the biggest key for the Gators is going to be handling UConn’s defensive pressure and trying to force some kind of open looks against a team that has guarded their yard at an elite level. Florida has really struggled offensively this season, certainly aided by their inability to hit threes, and they are now going up against one of the best defenses in the country. The Gators had a week to prepare for this game so we will see what they have in store, as this game will be no easy task.
Florida and UConn will tip off at 9 PM ET on Tuesday, December 9th, and the game will be televised on ESPN.
Photos from the second half as the #5 ranked Florida Gators mens basketball team hosts the Texas Longhorns at Exactech Arena in Gainesville, Florida. January 18th, 2025. Gator Country Photo by David Bowie.