Florida (8-7/1-2 SEC) vs. LSU (12-3/1-2 SEC)
Florida (8-7/1-2 SEC) vs. RV/RV LSU (12-3/1-2 SEC)
Pete Maravich Assembly Center | Baton Rouge, La. Jan. 10, 2023 | 7 p.m. EST
TV SEC Network | ESPN App PxP: Mike Morgan | Analyst: Daymeon Fishback
Radio Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD | SiriusXM 382 & SXM App 972 Streaming on FloridaGators.com& The Varsity Network App PxP: Sean Kelley | Analyst: Lee Humphrey
Gators at a Glance
* Florida visits Baton Rouge for the first time since January 2020. UF's last three meetings against LSU have been in Gainesville, as the scheduled Feb. 2021 game in LSU was canceled and UF hosted last season's only contest.
* Todd Golden and Matt McMahon squared off in the 2022 NCAA Tournament at their prior stops, with McMahon's Murray State edging Golden's shorthanded San Francisco team in an epic overtime battle.
* The Gators had five players in double figures in their win vs. UGA, led by Kyle Lofton's season-high 18. Colin Castleton posted 12 points, eight rebounds, seven blocked shots and five assists, while Will Richard added 14 points and nine rebounds. Myreon Jones (season-high 13 points) and Kowacie Reeves (12) both added a scoring spark off the bench, as UF enjoyed a 35-17 bench scoring edge.
* Colin Castleton leads UF in scoring (14.7), rebounding (7.5), blocked shots (45), free throws made (56) and steals (16). Kyle Lofton has a team-high 46 assists, and Trey Bonham's 23 3-point field goals are UF's most.
* As a team, the Gators' 6.0 blocked shots per game are tied for third in the NCAA. Castleton's 3.00 swats per game rate rank third the nation.
* Kowacie Reeves exploded for 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting vs. Ohio, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range, to lead the Gators' rout in Tampa. Reeves also came back from the holiday break strong, leading UF with 15 points at Auburn.
* Alex Fudge had a four-game stretch from Nov. 30-Dec. 14 when averaged 13.3 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds, shooting 18-for-32 (.563) from the field, 3-for-6 from 3-point range, and hitting 14 of 15 free throw attempts (.933). Fudge had a pair of double-doubles over that span, posting 16 and 10 vs. FAMU and 13 and 10 vs. Ohio.
* Through Will Richard's first seven appearances of the season, he displayed impressive efficiency scoring 13+ points six times while shooting .607 from the field, .586 from 3-point range and .947 from the free throw line.
* Riley Kugel made his first career start vs. Florida A&M, marking six straight seasons and 15 of the last 16 in which a freshman started at least one game for UF (every season since 2007-08 except 2016-17).
* Colin Castleton's double-double vs. Xavier (11 points, 10 rebounds) marked his 15th as a Gator, tying him with Joakim Noah and Chandler Parsons for fifth-most by a Gator since the 1996-97 season.
* UF's 19-point rally at Florida State marked the fourth-largest in team history and the largest on the road since a 22-point comeback at South Carolina on Feb. 24, 1993. Castleton scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half.
* Colin Castleton opened the season on fire and posted back-to-back 30-point outings, notching a career-best 33 vs. Kennesaw State and 30 vs. FAU.
* Castleton became the first Gator with a 30-point double-double since Joakim Noah (37/11 vs. Georgia, 3/1/06) and the only SEC player since the 1996-97 season with 30 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in a game, a stat line he accomplished vs. FAU.
* Golden compiled a 57-36 record over three seasons at San Francisco and led the Dons to their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1998 and their first at-large selection since 1982.
