When: Wednesday, December 7 – 9 p.m.
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Florida
TV: ESPN2
Radio: UConn Sports Network
Odds: UConn -4.5, above/below 143.5 (odds via Borgata)
Score predicted by KenPom: UConn 78, Florida 72
UConn basketball games are now available to stream on TV Sling! Which gives you even more accessibility to Huskies games no matter where you look from. Sling TV lets you stream live TV and on-demand content over the internet to any device; access free DVR storage in case you miss moments; and choose from a selection of other sports packages. Join now and get half of your first month’s worth of Sling Orange or Sling Blue (regular price $40, now $20 + add any additional packages half price too!)
Visit TV Sling for prices, streaming options and available channels to ensure you don’t miss a minute of UConn basketball this season.
Bracketology strikes differently this year for a UConn men’s basketball fan. The Huskies’ meteoric rise to start the 2022-23 season resulted in a No. 5 ranking in the latest AP poll, its highest ranking since November 2011. The one thing those December laurels mean, however, is a growing target on your back. . And with the Huskies facing their first real road test tonight, the college basketball world will be watching to see how they react.
The Florida Gators (6-3, No. 46 KenPom) lost to Xavier, a Florida Atlantic led by Jalen Gaffney and West Virginia. But the Gators have a good balance, ranking No. 43 in KenPom-adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 56 in defense. Gainesville is also a tough place to play, and UConn will face a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award nominee for the fifth game in a row.
Last year, Florida advanced to the second round of the NIT, but that wasn’t enough for Mike White to keep his job. In typical SEC fashion, Florida came out and got one of the most sought-after coaches in the game, Todd Golden. After leading San Francisco to the NCAA Tournament, Golden brings the modern, analytical style of basketball to the land of football.
When Florida has the ball
In the first year, Golden’s plan for the Gators seems simple. Surround first-team All-SECer Colin Castleton with three shooters and a pass-first point guard. Castleton is Sunshine State’s Drew Timme, a fifth-year senior who feels like he’s been in college forever and should be wearing a Duke uniform.
Priority number one, two and three contains the 6-foot-11 forward, who is averaging 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season. Castleton is widely regarded as one of the top 25 players in the country, a fifth-year senior who won’t beat you from the outside but is an elite finisher around the basket.
Florida has a respectable balance on the offensive end thanks to Kyle Lofton, a transfer grad from St. Bonaventure with an average of four assists per game, who missed the Bonnies-Huskies game last year due to injury. The 6-foot-5 senior is a table-first passer, and Florida as a team doesn’t turn the ball around much, so increasing ball pressure is a must for Tristen Newton and Andre Jackson.
Will Richard will be a tough draw for the UConn guard who doesn’t check Lofton. The 6-foot-4 Belmont transfer is averaging 13.6 points per game and shooting 58.6 percent on three, and is the Gators’ hardest-hitting player by BartTovik’s BPM. Kowacie Reeves and Trey Bonham can also get hot, with the latter torching Xavier for 23 points.
Castleton is going to have its own. If Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clingan can keep him from leaving, UConn’s ball pressure and length should be enough to disrupt the multiple shooting threats on the roster. The Huskies haven’t given up a “killshot” all season, rated by EvanMiya as a double-digit score.
When UConn has the ball
Lofton and the backcourt won’t smother you with ball pressure, with the Gators ranking 236th in steal percentage. However, the triumvirate of Richard, Reeves and Fudge is long enough to disrupt attacking rhythms. Florida also allows opponents to shoot 36.5 percent from 3-pointers, a clip ranked No. 276 in the nation. That means Jordan Hawkins will once again get the greenest green light, or maybe it’s a game Nyheim Alleyne isn’t following, with the Virginia Tech transfer unfazed by Power 5 road plays.
The X-factor for Florida could be 6-foot-9 sophomore Alex Fudge, who played sparingly at LSU as a rookie but is already an elite defenseman capable of holding all five positions. The Huskies had plenty of action through pick-and-rolls with Jackson and Newton as ball handlers. If Fudge keeps the screener, his coverage and switchability could disrupt UConn’s first and second options coming off the ball screen. It will be on UConn’s toes to stay patient, keep his dribble and let the rest of the set play out.
UConn is a better team in virtually every KenPom metric (besides tempo, the Gators PUSH the ball). This match will be decided by discipline. The Phil Knight Invitational was played in a nearly empty gymnasium, so can UConn deliver the same level of intensity they’ve brought all season in front of a hostile crowd? Can the Huskies avoid silly fouls not only against Castleton, but Florida’s wide array of shooters?
If some whistles don’t go UConn’s way and players are frustrated, who calms the team down? If the offense continues on another scoring drought, can the defense stay locked in? Can they trust their talent and depth in the face of all these obstacles? It sounds cliché, but if the Huskies gain the mental advantage, they’ll escape the swamp without a bite.
When: Wednesday, December 7 – 9 p.m.
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Florida
TV: ESPN2
Radio: UConn Sports Network
Odds: UConn -4.5, above/below 143.5 (odds via Borgata)
Score predicted by KenPom: UConn 78, Florida 72
UConn basketball games are now available to stream on TV Sling! Which gives you even more accessibility to Huskies games no matter where you look from. Sling TV lets you stream live TV and on-demand content over the internet to any device; access free DVR storage in case you miss moments; and choose from a selection of other sports packages. Join now and get half of your first month’s worth of Sling Orange or Sling Blue (regular price $40, now $20 + add any additional packages half price too!)
Visit TV Sling for prices, streaming options and available channels to ensure you don’t miss a minute of UConn basketball this season.
Bracketology strikes differently this year for a UConn men’s basketball fan. The Huskies’ meteoric rise to start the 2022-23 season resulted in a No. 5 ranking in the latest AP poll, its highest ranking since November 2011. The one thing those December laurels mean, however, is a growing target on your back. . And with the Huskies facing their first real road test tonight, the college basketball world will be watching to see how they react.
The Florida Gators (6-3, No. 46 KenPom) lost to Xavier, a Florida Atlantic led by Jalen Gaffney and West Virginia. But the Gators have a good balance, ranking No. 43 in KenPom-adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 56 in defense. Gainesville is also a tough place to play, and UConn will face a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award nominee for the fifth game in a row.
Last year, Florida advanced to the second round of the NIT, but that wasn’t enough for Mike White to keep his job. In typical SEC fashion, Florida came out and got one of the most sought-after coaches in the game, Todd Golden. After leading San Francisco to the NCAA Tournament, Golden brings the modern, analytical style of basketball to the land of football.
When Florida has the ball
In the first year, Golden’s plan for the Gators seems simple. Surround first-team All-SECer Colin Castleton with three shooters and a pass-first point guard. Castleton is Sunshine State’s Drew Timme, a fifth-year senior who feels like he’s been in college forever and should be wearing a Duke uniform.
Priority number one, two and three contains the 6-foot-11 forward, who is averaging 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season. Castleton is widely regarded as one of the top 25 players in the country, a fifth-year senior who won’t beat you from the outside but is an elite finisher around the basket.
Florida has a respectable balance on the offensive end thanks to Kyle Lofton, a transfer grad from St. Bonaventure with an average of four assists per game, who missed the Bonnies-Huskies game last year due to injury. The 6-foot-5 senior is a table-first passer, and Florida as a team doesn’t turn the ball around much, so increasing ball pressure is a must for Tristen Newton and Andre Jackson.
Will Richard will be a tough draw for the UConn guard who doesn’t check Lofton. The 6-foot-4 Belmont transfer is averaging 13.6 points per game and shooting 58.6 percent on three, and is the Gators’ hardest-hitting player by BartTovik’s BPM. Kowacie Reeves and Trey Bonham can also get hot, with the latter torching Xavier for 23 points.
Castleton is going to have its own. If Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clingan can keep him from leaving, UConn’s ball pressure and length should be enough to disrupt the multiple shooting threats on the roster. The Huskies haven’t given up a “killshot” all season, rated by EvanMiya as a double-digit score.
When UConn has the ball
Lofton and the backcourt won’t smother you with ball pressure, with the Gators ranking 236th in steal percentage. However, the triumvirate of Richard, Reeves and Fudge is long enough to disrupt attacking rhythms. Florida also allows opponents to shoot 36.5 percent from 3-pointers, a clip ranked No. 276 in the nation. That means Jordan Hawkins will once again get the greenest green light, or maybe it’s a game Nyheim Alleyne isn’t following, with the Virginia Tech transfer unfazed by Power 5 road plays.
The X-factor for Florida could be 6-foot-9 sophomore Alex Fudge, who played sparingly at LSU as a rookie but is already an elite defenseman capable of holding all five positions. The Huskies had plenty of action through pick-and-rolls with Jackson and Newton as ball handlers. If Fudge keeps the screener, his coverage and switchability could disrupt UConn’s first and second options coming off the ball screen. It will be on UConn’s toes to stay patient, keep his dribble and let the rest of the set play out.
UConn is a better team in virtually every KenPom metric (besides tempo, the Gators PUSH the ball). This match will be decided by discipline. The Phil Knight Invitational was played in a nearly empty gymnasium, so can UConn deliver the same level of intensity they’ve brought all season in front of a hostile crowd? Can the Huskies avoid silly fouls not only against Castleton, but Florida’s wide array of shooters?
If some whistles don’t go UConn’s way and players are frustrated, who calms the team down? If the offense continues on another scoring drought, can the defense stay locked in? Can they trust their talent and depth in the face of all these obstacles? It sounds cliché, but if the Huskies gain the mental advantage, they’ll escape the swamp without a bite.
