Hey folks, I am coming to you mere minutes after Dru Smith’s layup won the game for Missouri over the Gators so things are still fresh…let’s hope by the time you’re reading this Thursday morning we’re all feeling a bit better!
Here are some thoughts I’m having about Florida basketball.
Tre Mann should shoot 20 times a game.
I’m… not totally joking.
Look, right now he is Florida’s best perimeter scorer, and he’s doing it on low usage. He had 21 points against Missouri on 9-11 shooting, coming off a game against Kentucky where he had 21 on 7-11 shooting.
That efficiency is fantastic. Meanwhile, players like Tyree Appleby, Scottie Lewis, and Noah Locke are struggling with turnovers and bad shot selection that has been a problem for the Gators.
Truthfully, I want to see Tre Mann shoot more. A LOT more.
He is one of the best shooters off the dribble in the country, and previous players who were in the same range as him were Trae Young, Buddy Hield, and Jimmer Fredette. Those guys shot a TON and I honestly think Florida should consider letting Mann run twice the amount of offensive possessions as he currently is.
Florida has lost far too many possessions on Noah Locke or Scottie Lewis running pick and rolls, something they aren’t good at. Or Tyree Appleby turning it over trying to drive on the first look he gets over the midline.
Mike White needs to think about whether he wants to win or lose games with the ball in the hands of his best player, or win or lose with his secondary and tertiary ball handlers.
Florida’s turnover problems are really bad, but they shouldn’t be surprising.
Look, Scottie Lewis and Noah Locke aren’t good ball handlers, and they’re being tasked with running pick and rolls.
How can you be surprised when they turn the ball over?
Would you get mad at Omar Payne for missing a three, or at Ques Glover for losing a rebound toa 7-footer?
If you put players in positions to do something that are not equipped to, or are not good at doing, I don’t think you can be shocked at the results. Put bad ball handlers in difficult positions to handle the ball, they’re going to turn it over.
Missouri is 252nd in the country in turnovers forced, and the Gators had 18 turnovers against them. That’s tough, and it should make Florida reevaluate what they’re doing.
Florida’s center rotation still struggles with size.
Colin Castleton and Omar Payne have been a tremendous center rotation but they have shown that they still struggle against big men who outsize them. When Florida has lost this season it has often been because opposing big men who outsize Florida’s centers go to work. Tolu Smith had 27 points for Mississippi State. Kentucky’s Isaiah Johnson held Castleton to 6 points. And now, Jeremiah Tilmon picked Florida’s defense apart by passing out of soft double teams.
It’s tough to handle players who are physically bigger, so it’s not something I totally put blame on Castleton and Payne for, it’s just a fact that they have struggled against more physical, bigger players
I would, however, love to see Florida use an aggressive double team against these kinds of post players as opposed to the soft, passive double teams they have been using. Tilmon was passing out of these scenarios with ease and it put Florida into the mixer defensively. Once again, something Florida should reevaluate.
Missouri is a better team than their metrics suggest, and I don’t think this loss is as bad as some might think.
With Missouri 47th in the NET there are some people that will be very upset with Florida losing to them at home but I think they are a much better club than that number would suggest. They have beaten Illinois, Oregon, Arkansas, and Alabama, and there are few teams in the country that have collected as many quality wins as that. They were also playing heavily motivated against Florida as they desperately want to get out of the 8-9 game in the NCAA Tournament where they are currently slated by a lot of prognosticators.
They’re a good team who were playing inspired. No real shame in Florida losing to them.
Tennessee is spiralling which should give Florida a good chance to end their regular season with a win.
The Volunteers have lost three of their last five, most recently to Auburn without Sharife Cooper which is a baaaaad loss.
Tennessee was a Final Four pick by many in the preseason but things have never come together for them. Mostly, their issues have been on the offensive end as their greatly struggle to generate offense.
This is good for the Gators, as they have been pretty good offensively but have struggled defensively. There is a reason Florida was able to hammer them in the first meeting of the season even without Colin Castleton and Scottie Lewis, and the Gators should have a decent shot at beating them again Sunday.
Have a great week everyone!