Florida vs Florida Atlantic (Monday, 7 pm)

Florida vs. Florida Atlantic

* When: Monday, 7 pm (ET)
* Where: Exactech Arena/O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.
* Records: Florida (2-0); Florida Atlantic (1-1)
* TV: SEC Network (Roy Philpott and Mark Wise)
* Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD (Sean Kelley and Lee Humphrey)

Projected Starters

The Breakdown

Setup / Series / Last Meeting

Florida performs its final of three consecutive dwelling video games to open the 2022-23 season and Coach Todd Golden period, with a visit to cross-state rival Florida State on faucet later within the week to start out a conga line of high-major contests away from the O’Dome. The Gators are coming off Friday’s 88-78 win over Kennesaw State, a good low-major program out of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Florida Atlantic performs out of Conference USA, however will transfer into the American Athletic Conference for the ’23-24 season. The Owls will play a second straight street recreation towards a Southeastern Conference opponent after being overwhelmed 80-67 at Ole Miss Friday night time. … This shall be simply the fourth recreation between the 2 Sunshine State packages, and the primary in 12 years. UF is 3-0 towards FAU, with the assembly a 79-66 victory for the Gators on Nov. 23, 2010. In that one, senior ahead Alex Tyus helped break open a detailed recreation (UF led by simply two at halftime) with 19 factors and 7 rebounds. Sophomore guard Kenny Boynton added a game-high 21 factors, with junior level guard Erving Walker ending with 14 factors, six rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. … UF is 22-5 all-time towards CUSA groups. … Golden is 1-0 vs. CUSA. 

Tale of the Tape

Team Snapshots

The Gators

They’re making pictures, higher than 50 % as a workforce by the 2 video games and principally due to Colin Castleton, however the Gators want to scrub up some issues on the defensive finish after permitting undersized Kennesaw to hit 53.1 % within the second half throughout which the Owls performed the Gators

even on the scoreboard (44-44). After toying with a pair low-major foes, these upcoming video games towards FAU and even a roster-challenged, injury-depleted FSU would require higher consideration to defensive particulars, akin to straight-line drives, back-door cuts and boxing out. … Castleton, the two-time All-Southeastern Conference publish man, is capturing 60.0 % from the ground, and has expanded his recreation and talent set with higher ball-handling (he is led a pair profitable quick breaks) and passing. He additionally moved previous Udonis Haslem (1998-2002) and into ninth place on the UF all-time checklist with 123 profession blocks. … Golden months in the past anointed fifth-year level guard Kyle Lofton as one in every of his two finest (and most pivotal) gamers. The two fouls within the first 4 minutes Friday have been one factor (it is basketball, it occurs), however the two fast ones halfway by the second half, plus the jawing at an official that drew a technical and fifth-foul disqualification cannot occur. Lofton got here right here after averaging a startling 38.1 minutes over 4 seasons at St. Bonaventure. He must be on the ground and directing the offense. … Will Richard is capturing 67 % general, 50 from the 3-point line (306) and 100 from the free-throw line (6-6). What a transfer-portal discover (thanks, Belmont) he’s shaping as much as be. … Wing Kowacie Reeves missed the three pictures he took within the first half, however offset these misses with energetic rebounding. The second half? Reeves was 3-for-3 from the ground, with a robust driving dunk and two 3s that staved off mini-runs by the Owls. For Reeves it is all the time going to be about consistency and particular person concentrate on his duties. He is delivering early. … Forward CJ Felder has made 4 of six area targets makes an attempt, all of his free throws and is second on the workforce in rebounding regardless of taking part in simply 16.5 minutes per. … Reserve ahead Alex Fudge (11.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), who had a team-best 20 factors within the opener towards Stony Brook, had six factors and three boards, but additionally a team-high turnovers towards the Owls. UF solely turned it over 4 instances, so the LSU switch shall be requested to concentrate on his ball safety. His six turnovers on the season leads the workforce. … Fifth-year guard Myreon Jones stepped in after Lofton fouled out and gave the Gators stable minutes on the “1,” ending with two factors, 5 rebounds, two assists, a block and nil turnovers over 23 minutes. … For all of the speak about UF’s depth and questions as to how Golden would deal with his rotation, the Gators performed simply 10 guys towards Kennesaw, one in every of whom, Virginia Military Institute switch Trey Bonham, performed simply 3:20. This workers has plan. … This is the primary time since 2017 that Florida has scored no less than 80 factors in every of the primary two video games. The final time it occurred, the present FAU coach was on workers.

The Owls

They’re within the fifth season below former UF affiliate head coach Dusty May, who was Mike White’s proper hand throughout three seasons (2015-18) and two NCAA Tournament appearances, together with the 2017 run to the Elite Eight. May’s report stands at 67-57 with the Owls, who went 19-15 final 12 months and

appeared within the CBI. His 2022-23 workforce returns all 5 starters from that squad, which completed a stable 129th within the last KenPom.com rankings of ’22. … FAU opened the season with an 81-46 blowout of Lynn, a Division II program out of the Sunshine State Conference. In the loss at Mississippi, the Owls fell behind by 9 at halftime and have been nonetheless down 10 with below 4 minutes left when standout ahead Vladislav Goldin was known as for hanging on the rim on a layup. The play appeared to reduce the result in simply 5 with 1:39 to go, however as a substitute was waved off and become a free throw and eight-point lead for the Rebels, who closed out the sport from there. … Ole Miss shot 50.8 % within the recreation, out-rebounded FAU 40-31 and outscored the Owls within the paint 42-28. … Goldin, from Nalchick, Russia (by the use of Texas Tech), had 19 factors within the recreation on 9-for-13 capturing and is hitting 68.4 % from the ground. He has but to aim a 3-pointer, so there isn’t any thriller the place he’ll be in the course of the recreation. He’ll have a pair inches on Castleton down within the block. … Guard Johnell Davis is at practically 53 % from the ground and has dropped 4 of his eight 3s, whereas Aliajah Martin is at 43.5 % and 4-for-12 from deep. … Guard Bryan Greenlee is a switch from Minnesota who performed on the Gainesville Rock School. … FAU’s final win over a Power-5 convention workforce was Dec. 29, 2018, in May’s first season, when the Owls went to Illinois and upset the Fighting Illinis 73-71 in additional time.  
 

Numbers of Note

* .588 — Castleton’s free-throw proportion by two video games, primarily based on 10-for-17 from the road. This, little doubt, won’t sit properly with the UF huge, on condition that he is drawing fouls at a excessive price (6.9 per recreation) and has confirmed to be a significantly better free-throw shooter throughout his Florida profession. 

* .730 — Castleton’s mixed free-throw proportion his first two seasons with the Gators. 

* 7 — Players within the UF roster who’re capturing higher than 50.0 % from the ground, a gaggle that features walk-on guards Alex Klatsky and Jack May (each 1-for-1). 

* 10.5 — Florida’s turnover common by two video games. Very manageable. Let’s see what occurs to that quantity because the competitors will increase. 

* 1997 — The final 12 months the Gators misplaced to a workforce presently in Conference USA. The date was Dec. 27. The place was Miami Arena. The occasion was the Orange Bowl Classic, which was Florida’s first look in that occasion. The Gators misplaced 80-73 to Alabama-Birmingham. 

 

Bottom Line

Golden circled this recreation on the schedule months in the past, understanding the Owls had their entire beginning unit again and are coached by a man who is aware of the UF personnel. Let’s see how his danger-zone theme resonates together with his gamers.