Florida State vs. Florida: 2019-20 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Neil Adler
A juicy battle will transpire on Sunday afternoon in the Sunshine State when top-10 outfit Florida welcomes Florida State to Gainesville.
TV schedule: Sunday, November 10, 1:00 pm ET. ESPN.
Arena: Exactech Arena in Gainesville, Fla.
Florida, currently ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press top-25 poll, will host in-state rival Florida State on Sunday afternoon at the Exactech Arena in a tantalizing affair pitting two long-time foes against one another. The Gators (1-0) are deemed by many college-basketball pundits as a group that has a legitimate opportunity at reaching next spring’s Final Four, while the Seminoles (0-1) are considered one of the better crews in the rugged Atlantic Coast Conference.
In its inaugural tilt of the 2019-20 campaign, Florida put forth a so-so performance but came away with a 74-59 home win versus North Florida. Graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr., a forward who joined the Gators from Virginia Tech, managed a massive output, notching 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Florida State, meanwhile, opened the current stanza at Pittsburgh in an ACC clash, and, despite the Seminoles holding a nine-point edge after intermission, Florida State fell 63-61 to the Panthers. Trent Forrest, a senior guard with the Seminoles, tallied a contest-high 19 points.
Both Florida State and Florida have lofty aspirations in 2019-20. The SEC preseason poll slots the Gators at No. 2, behind perennial power Kentucky. Blackshear is tabbed as the Player of the Year and on the All-SEC first team, while sophomore point guard Andrew Nembhard is on the second unit.
Additionally, head coach Mike White brought in a 2019 recruiting class that is among the premier ones in the country, featuring five-star point guard Tre Mann and five-star wing Scottie Lewis. In 2018-19, Florida finished 20-16 and lost in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.
The Seminoles wrapped up 2018-19 at 29-8, advancing to the Sweet 16, and Florida State is placed at No. 5 on the ACC preseason ballot. Furthermore, Forrest is on the All-ACC second squad. Head coach Leonard Hamilton accumulated a top-20 recruiting class in the 2019 cycle, including five-star wing Patrick Williams and four-star center Balsa Koprivica.
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These programs enjoy a long history of duking it out. Dating back to the 1949-50 term, the Gators are 41-27 against the Seminoles, per sports-reference.com. Given that Florida is highly rated and competing on its own turf, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index forecasts that the Gators have an 80.6 percent chance to prevail. I believe that Florida’s talented mix of veterans and newbies will prove too much for Florida State, and the Gators will ultimately emerge victorious over the Seminoles in an entertaining encounter.
Prediction: Florida 76 – Florida State 67