Gators hoops hopes to avoid the let down
GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida basketball (12-5, 4-1) took a step forward over the weekend by securing a solid Quadrant 1 win over No. 4 Auburn.
Now the Gators have to make sure they don't let success hamper them- something this team has struggled with this season. However, on Monday, Mike White told reporters that it was good to see his team not too excited coming off a big win.
“Oh absolutely, yeah. That’s over. We felt really good for a little while, for about an hour, then we were moving on, moving on to the [LSU] Tigers," said White. "We’ve got our hands full, they’re really good, of course. Leading the league, and as talented as probably any team in the country. And playing really well, best offense in our league, so, just got to move on. And after we play them, we’ve got to move on to the next one.”
The Gators will have tough stretch of games this week by traveling to Baton Rouge on Tuesday and then quickly turning around to face the No.1 team in the country, Baylor, over the weekend.
Apart from that head scratching performance against Missouri, White's side has been moving in the right direction.
UF currently is averaging 73.5 points per game, 44.7% shooting and 33% shooting from three-point range. Meanwhile defensively, the Gators are yielding just 65.3 points per game, 39.7 % shooting and 33% shooting from three-point range; they are also coming off their best defensive performance of the season.
Florida has won five of its last six games and ball security is one reason for that improvement - UF only had three turnovers during its second half performance against the Tigers.
"Our ball security has gotten better. Our shot selection has gotten better, our movement of the basketball. We’ve gotten better on the offensive glass, Oma [Payne] being a big part of that of course," said White. "Even Keyontae’s gotten better, too. Overall I think our confidence level has increased a little bit. Defensively, I think we were taking steps in the wrong direction there until the other day, so nice to see us defending the way we’re capable of again, as well.”
However, the Gators will have a tough test against LSU.
The Tigers (13-4, 5-0) are currently the only undefeated team in SEC play.
“They’re fantastic in a lot of areas," said White. "Getting to the foul line; converting free throws at a really high clip; they are arguably the best offensive rebounding team in our league; I think they’re leading our league in offensive efficiency - their 2-point percentage is off the charts. They’ve got guys off the bench that are really good, of course. Their starting five offensively is just terrific, and defensively they’re disruptive, as well. They change defenses, they play really hard. They’re really good. They gotta be - I know I’ve said this a couple times this year - they gotta as underrated a backcourt as we’ll see. They’re starting guard are terrific.”
The Tigers are averaging 79.9 points on 48.1% (first in the SEC) and 31.8% from three-point range. Meanwhile, Will Wade's men hav allowed 71 points per game, 40 % shooting, 34% from three-point range.
"Very good offensive team," said Florida guard Andrew Nembhard. "We have to play a really good defensive game to be able to win over there. Play really fast, they have a lot of guys that know hw to score the ball so stopping them will be a big point of emphasis.”
LSU senior wing Skylar Mays is one to watch. Mays averages 15.9 points per game on 49% shooting, 37.3% shooting from deep, and 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals per contest.
This one game can have significant ramifications in the SEC race, however, the Gators are not focusing on that. They are coming off their best all-around performance and they are hoping to continue to build and progress.
"I mean it definitely seems like that but we’re not really too focused on the whole outcome of the big picture," said Nembhard. "Just kinda look it as one game, LSU and just getting better really.”