Deep Dive Thread for Florida

Gameday Poster Courtesy of AlabamaMBB

The Gators are coached by Todd Golden in his 4th season in Gainesville. The defending national champs currently sit at 15-6 overall, including 6-2 in conference after losses to Missouri and Auburn. Golden will look to defend his comments he said about Bediako at home in this game.

Florida is led in scoring by 6-9 Thomas Haugh. He is averaging just over 17 per game while also being a great rebounder at over 6.5 per game. Haugh is an elite defender that brings physicality to both ends of the floor. Haugh is one of the better 3pt shooters on the team at over 35% on 5 attempts per game.

Even though Haugh can shoot you have to be disciplined with your closeouts because he is more than capable of putting it on the floor. https://x.com/GatorsMBK/status/2015195744546738541?s=20

Florida starts multiple big men that are crucial to how they like to play. None are more important than 6-11 Alex Condon. Conton leads the team in block rate, while also averaging 13/8. He is a great passer out of the interior, so collapsing down gets punished. Condon has been given the green light from three, but he is just 6/43 this season, so I expect Alabama to let him shoot them.

Condon is a great passer at his size and Florida is not afraid of the big to big action. https://x.com/GatorsMBK/status/2011278782498222159?s=20

One of the best rebounders in America is 6-10 Rueben Chinyelu. Chinyelu is averaging a double-double at 12 and 11 while also being top 10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding rate. He has 2 games this season with over 20 rebounds, including against LSU. Keeping him off the offensive glass needs to be a key to success for Alabama. One of the most improved players in the country who has been very important to their success this season.

Chinyelu is seen as the rebounder but he’s a solid rim protector as well. https://x.com/GatorsMBK/status/2012626387153174569?s=20

Florida’s back court has a ton of talent, which has just not had the most success this season, including 6-3 Boogie Fland. The Arkansas transfer is averaging 11 points this season and leads the team in assists and steals, but just has not had the overall success people expected this season. So far, Fland is just 19% from behind the arc this season, including just 14% in conference so far.

Even though Boogie hasn’t been the offensive weapon some expected he has been very good on the defensive end this season. https://x.com/GatorsMBK/status/2015192177438024047?s=20

The last starter was another huge transfer in 6-4 Xaivian Lee from Princeton. Lee has averaged 11/4/3 so far this season. Brought in to be an elite 3pt shooter, his percentage is down over 10% this season from last. He has been a very good finisher around the rim; however, so keeping him out of the paint will be key in limiting his success.

Alabama can’t be lazy with their passes or Florida will make you pay. https://x.com/GatorsMBK/status/2013786493265830092?s=20

Florida’s best shooter this season has been 6-1 Urban Klavzar. Klavzar is shooting over 37% from deep on over 5 attempts per game while also shooting almost 91% from the FT line. Klavzar has been one of their most important pieces off the bench that really gives them an additional scoring option in the backcourt.

Klavzar does not need much room to get his shot off. https://x.com/GatorsMBK/status/2015191677057609835?s=20

Florida does not play a ton of guys, so the only 2 others I expect to see are 7-1 Micah Handlogten and 6-4 Isaiah Brown. Handlogten has been an elite rebounder in his limited minutes this season and even had 10 on Alabama in just 14 min last season in the SEC tournament. Brown has played in a limited role, scoring in double figures in just one game this season.

Florida is the best rebounding team in the country, sitting at 2nd in both offensive and defensive rebounding rate. Limiting them on the glass, especially with the size they play with, will be key in this game. They have had a solid defense due to their ability to run teams off the 3pt line and limit assists, funnelling their opponents into the interior where they have tremendous size.

Alabama should have a few places where they are better, however. Florida has been terrible at shooting the 3 this season in the bottom 20 in the country, so I expect Alabama to sag off a bit to clog the lanes and add extra help in the interior. Additionally, I think the addition of Charles Bediako for this game is a huge deal because it allows Alabama to play 2 bigs and keep size in the post, hopefully allowing us to limit the success Florida has in the interior.

My players to watch are Amari Allen and Taylor Bol Bowen. Allen’s missed the last 2 games with his ankle injury, but I would expect he plays in this one. I think that combined, he and Taylor will draw the most important matchup in this game, and that’s going against Thomas Haugh. Both Amari and Taylor have been great rebounding recently, and Alabama needs that out of them in this game if they have any hope of winning this game.

Clearly, Alabama has the better backcourt, while Florida has the better frontcourt. It will be a bit of a clash of styles to see whose unit can play up to that of their competition. I think this will be one of the best games of the year, and I do expect it to go back and forth because the winner of this game puts themselves in a solid position in the SEC. It would not at all shock me if Alabama was able to get the win, but given this game being in Gainesville, I am going to take the home team to barely pull one out.

Prediction: Alabama 82 - Florida 84

I broke down this game even more with Roll Tide Rewind on the podcast. Check it out and Subscribe for More. https://youtu.be/gDdAgVdkb64