Florida basketball is one of the best teams in the entire nation. What should the Gators focus on for their rivalry matchup with Florida State?
Florida basketball predictably moved to 1-0 for the 2019-20 season with a double-digit home victory over North Florida earlier this week. Highly-touted graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. led the team during that contest with a 20-point, 10-rebound performance while a few others also stepped up along the way. Florida boasts a balanced offensive attack this season while also looking poised to be arguably the best defense in the entire nation. That certainly bodes well for their national title hopes.
Considering the Gators’ status as a preseason top-5 team in the country, their opening result of the campaign surprised absolutely no one. Even though they did not obliterate the Ospreys with only a 15-point victory, they controlled the game from the opening tip and fans never needed to worry. The team is now poised for their first true challenge of the season as they look to defend their home court against in-state rival Florida State.
Who: Florida State Seminoles (0-1) at Florida Gators (1-0)
When: Sunday, Nov. 10th at 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL.
TV Schedule: ESPN
Florida State is entering this contest following a season-opening loss to Pittsburgh. It was definitely a disappointing performance for the fringe top-25 team but not one that head coach Leonard Hamilton and Co. will dwell on for too long. The Seminoles are still a dangerous team and the Gators will need to be ready for a fight. Neither team is exceptionally experienced compared to past seasons but the rivalry is still alive and well. This is a highly-anticipated matchup every single time it appears on the college basketball calendar and it would be a mistake to expect anything other than a great game this time around.
Before diving into potential keys to success for Florida in this matchup, let’s kick this preview off with an “opponent intel” look into what FSU is bringing to the court.