GAINESVILLE, Fla.– It has not been a good start to the season for the Gators on the court. A heartbreaking collapse to the Gamecocks and a near loss at Arkansas are not how you want to start conference play. However, Saturday against Tennessee, Florida has a chance to turn its entire season around.
“It’s a chance for us to prove ourselves exactly what we’re capable of,” senior forward Kevarrius Hayes said. “I get pretty stoked, because I feel like we have a chance to be just as good.
“Tennessee enters the matchup 12-1 and ranked third in the nation. Their only loss was an 87-81 defeat in overtime to Kansas. They are certainly one of the best teams in the country and it will be very difficult to exploit any weakness.”
“They’re as good as anyone in the league offensively, defensively, on the glass,” head coach Mike White said. They have as good as depth in the league as anyone; athleticism, toughness, execution, you name it.
“They have a chance to win a national championship, added the Florida coach. “They’re a really, really good college basketball team. They’re tough, they’re physical, no weaknesses. We’re going to have play our best basketball just to have a chance.”
Florida will have to play aggressively. The Gators will need to challenge every ball.
“Discipline most of all,” Hayes said of the key to upsetting the Vols. “Staying true to our principles. Also, we’ve gotta show effort.
“It’ll be a long game, full 40 minutes all out effort on the defensive end, and offensively being strong with the ball and guarding them just as long as they guard us.”
Lately, the Gators have struggled to compete for a full 40 minutes. Against South Carolina, they held a 14-point lead and failed to close the game, failing to score a field goal for the final 7:17 of the game.
Wednesday against Arkansas, Florida held a 51-36 lead with 6:11 to play and nearly lost that by allowing the Razorbacks to go on a 15-2 run, coming back within 2 with a minute to play. down just a bucket with a minute to play before KeVaughn Allen’s free throws secured the win.
That cannot happen against the Volunteers. Tennessee is too good to be able to escape with a victory with long droughts like that.
“I always tell our guys, you can't focus on the result,” White said. “You need to focus on this possession, let's try to get a stop. And then when we get the ball, let's try to get a great shot. And then let's try to get a stop.
“You have to stay in the moment and play one possession at a time. And then if we're in the game and there's five minutes left in the game, at that point we'll start talking about that. How do we finish this thing out? That's it.
“So hopefully we get off to a good start against a big-time team and hopefully we give them a good game, hopefully we're competitive. Who knows down the stretch what could happen?"
