Florida Gators vs FSU Seminoles: Basketball Rivalry Matches Teams on Winning Streaks
By Terry Lane
Tonight’s matchup between the rival Florida Gators (7-4) and Florida State Seminoles (7-5) features two teams on winning streaks after slow starts to the season. The game tips off at 7 pm on ESPN2 and ESPN3 online. It’s the 66th meeting between the teams and the Gators have won four in a row.
Florida Gators
The Gators have a four game win streak that includes blowouts of Yale and Jacksonville and a solid performance down the stretch against Wake Forest. FSU has a three game win streak, including a close contest with Stetson with 16 turnovers.
FSU has good shooters, but not from beyond the arc. They’re also without starting guard Aaron Thomas due to ineligibility, who was contributing 14.8 ppg to the Seminole offense. FSU guard Montay Brandon is contributing 13.9 points per game to the Seminole offense and will look to distribute the ball.
FSU features three players taller than anyone on the Florida Gators team. Kiel Turpin, Michael Ojo and Boris Bojanovsky all come in at 7 feet or taller and have been getting better at defending the rim, which could amplify the Gators recent troubles of finishing drives in the lane. But if the Gators are shooting well, their pressure defense should frustrate the Seminoles.
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For the Florida Gators, they’re at full strength for the first time this season, as forward Alex Murphy has joined the team and guard Eli Carter will return from injury. Murphy told the media Monday that the practices since returning from the holiday break have been competitive and should help the team improve against FSU and once they get into conference play.
“We’ve gotten better, but we have a long way to go,” Murphy said. “Florida State is always a big, physical team, they like to get out and run in transition. They always have the same hard nose mentality. “
The addition of Murphy will give coach Billy Donovan more flexibility in playing players in other positions, which he will often do with the rangy Dorian Finney-Smith, who can contribute from all parts of the court and averages 12.7 ppg. Donovan said he wanted to keep forward Deven Robinson more in his shooter role, where he thinks he can contribute more to the team.
A hot shooting night from Florida Gators leading scorer Michael Frazier II, who leads the team with 14.9 points per game, will dictate the tempo of this game. And guard Kasey Kill will be needed to distribute the ball away from FSU’s big men.