Alabama Basketball Opponent Preview: Florida Gators

Alabama basketball looks to win its third straight and keep a vice-like grip on the SEC when it hosts a scrappy Florida Gators team on Wednesday night.

Florida is 13-10 and sits in sixth place in the SEC with a 6-4 conference record. It has been an up-and-down season for the Gators, who have not put together a streak of any kind longer than three games all year. Instead, they have been stuck in an alternating cycle of promising wins and frustrating losses.

This trend is evidenced by Florida’s last three games, which have seen it sandwich losses to Kansas State and Kentucky around a big win over then-no. 2 Tennessee. Granted, these were tough road losses to very good teams, but the point remains that Florida has struggled to build upon any continuous momentum.

Outside of its impressive win over Tennessee, Todd Golden’s squad has only managed to beat one team in the top half of the league standings. That opponent was Missouri, who is seventh in the SEC with a 6-5 record. The Gators have suffered one-possession losses to Auburn and Texas A&M (twice).

In non-conference play, UF and Alabama Basketball have played two common opponents in UConn and Oklahoma. The Huskies and the Sooners both beat the Gators and the Crimson Tide handily.

Alabama Basketball vs Florida Personnel

Florida is led by fifth-year senior forward Colin Castleton, who is averaging 15.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The versatile big is also averaging career-highs of 2.7 assists and 3.1 blocks per game. Castleton has always been an effective shot-blocker, but has transformed himself into one of college basketball’s best rim protectors this season. He leads the SEC and ranks third nationally in blocked shots.

The Florida backcourt is manned by two transfers in fifth-year senior Kyle Lofton and sophomore Will Richard. Lofton, a St. Bonaventure transfer, runs the offense with a veteran savvy and has maintained an impressive assist-turnover ratio throughout his career. He averages 9.0 points and a team-high 3.0 assists for the Gators.

Will Richard is a Belmont transfer who can fill it up in the scoring column. The 6’5” guard averages 10.3 points per game and shoots a team-high 41 percent from the three-point line. Richard has scored in double-figures in 13 games and hit four triples on four different occasions.

The Gators are supplemented by sophomore wing Kowacie Reeves, VMI transfer Trey Bonham at guard, freshman wing Riley Kugel, and super-athlete Alex Fudge, an LSU transfer.

Alabama basketball is enjoying one of its best seasons ever, and looks to keep it rolling with a win over Florida. If the Crimson Tide can remain focused on the controllable factors, it should take care of business.