Playing one of the most difficult schedules in the country has become a regularity for the Gators, something that was confirmed by Mike White on media day. Always scheduling aggressively means that as Gator fans you’re going to see some outstanding talent on the other side of the floor. By looking ahead you won’t be surprised on game day so here are some of the best players the Gators will see this year in the non-conference schedule.
Brian Fobbs
Towson
For mid-major and low-major conferences one of the best ways to get underrated players is to dabble in the JUCO market and Towson got an absolute gem when they landed 6’5” guard Brian Fobbs. He’s got great positional size and strength and maintained efficient numbers at volume scoring 17.5 points per game last season while shooting the three at a 36.7% clip. He’s someone who can use his size to get into the paint and finish and can also punish you from the perimeter and he’s someone who could give the Gators some trouble if they let him get loose.
Alterique Gilbert
UConn
Alterique Gilbert is a player that has fought through injuries his first couple of seasons with the Huskies but he was a McDonald’s All-American who dominated every level of basketball he played at until the injury bug bit him in college. At 6’0” tall he can slither his way through defenses and the Gators had trouble containing small guards last season which could make this matchup difficult. It’s looking like he’ll be going into this season totally healthy and if so he could present a challenge on the perimeter.
Christian Vital
UConn
At first I was only going to put one UConn player on this list but because the Gators have a chance to play UConn twice this year I thought it would be fine to do two players. I also wanted to put Alterique Gilbert on this list but that if he was the only one that wouldn’t be fair to his backcourt mate Christian Vital who has been the slightly more productive player as of late. Averaging 14.2 points last season he was mostly an off-ball threat due to his lethal 40.9% 3-point stroke and he’ll be someone the Gators have to stay locked in on. He’s another smaller guard at 6’2” and 175 pounds and he can fill it up quick and get UConn back into games quickly.
Kamar Baldwin
Butler
Considering the Gators got to see Kamar Baldwin and Butler Bulldogs twice last year this name won’t be unfamiliar to you. He’s pretty much a one-man offense who initiates most things with the ball in his hands while his teammates space the floor and he’ll be at the center of Florida’s scouting report. Not an elite shooter it’s his ability to drive and either finish or dish that makes him so dangerous. As an indication of how he makes Butler go it was a big game from him that allowed Butler to beat Florida in the first matchup last year but when he struggled a bit in the second game that was when Florida dominated. If the Gators can find a way to clog up his dribble penetration they should have good luck in the third matchup between these teams in two years.
Noah Horchler
Providence
This is a name you might remember but not from the Providence Friars. Before graduate transferring to Providence he played at North Florida and the Gators got to see his low-post work there a couple of times. Horchler isn’t particularly long as a 6’7” big man but he has a great base and is extremely crafty in the paint. Horchler had 16 points and 9.3 rebounds per game a number for the Ospreys and while that number will likely go down playing in the Big East I think he’ll still be an important player for them. He also hung an easy 16 points (on 8-10 shooting) and 10 rebounds on the Gators last year so he’s proven he can take a bite of them.
Alpha Diallo
Providence
Providence is another team that warranted having two players on this list and Alpha Diallo is someone that has all the tools to potentially cause issues for the Gators. Diallo is a 6’7” guard with long arms that will have at least some kind of advantage over whoever guards him on the Gators whether it be size or speed. He touches every aspect of the game and his 16 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 steals helps tell that story. Showing excellence when it comes to rebounding the basketball allows him to start the fast break himself and when he’s at full speed it’s extremely hard to stop him. Whether it’s his straight line speed or long strides when he euro steps if he gets the ball on the fast break it can be game over and since the Gators don’t have a natural matchup for him he’ll be a player to watch out for.
Sam Merrill
Utah State
Utah State is a sneaky tough matchup on the schedule for the Gators and one of the reasons is Sam Merrill who is one of the most underrated players in the country. Averaging 20.9 points and 4.2 assists per game he’s a tremendous offensive talent who can beat you in a number of ways. Merrill might not look extremely athletic but he changes speeds effectively to get past his man all the time. If you miss a rotation and leave him open behind the arc he’s a 37.6% shooter from three and if you over-help he’ll find the open man more times than not. The Aggies have a really potent offense and it’s almost all due to Merrill.
Neemias Queta
Utah State
Okay, I guess a lot of teams are getting two representatives in this list but there’s good reason why—the Gators are playing a lot of good non-conference teams with some great players. Neemias Queta is one of them and he’ll present a unique challenge to the Gators. Most players on this list are perimeter players but Queta is a 7’0” center who can really do damage on the inside. Sporting a wide body that allows him to secure positioning near the hoop he takes great advantage of Merrill’s ability to drive and dish and it makes for a lot of uncontested dunks. Even when he is guarded he has some nice touch in the post with hook shots and he can draw a lot of fouls from big men trying to handle him down low. On the other end Queta is one of the best shot blockers in the country and his ability to anchor the defense allows his teammates to crank up pressure on the perimeter. He’s not someone who will explode for a ton of points but he’s certain to put his impact on the game.
Mark Vital
Baylor
I’m just saying, I’ve never seen Mark Vital and Keyontae Johnson in the same room together. Okay, their faces may not actually look alike but everything else is extremely similar. Vital is listed at 6’5” 230 and is built scarily similar to Johnson. Johnson is definitely the more explosive leaper but Vital might even be a bit stronger and when they match up it could be the unstoppable force between the immovable object. Vital’s offensive game is still developing but he’s one of the best rebounders in the game and that was put on display when Baylor played Arizona and Vital almost singlehandedly outrebounded the Wildcats grabbing 17 boards to Arizona’s 19 (Vital actually had the lead for most of the game, Arizona just caught up in garbage time). His pure physicality creates problems for smaller players and he’ll bully most opponents. He’s not going to shoot the lights out or put up gigantic point totals but his ability to control the glass could be a problem for Florida.