Florida basketball: Gators reunite with Keyontae Johnson in huge showdown
By Will Thomas
Florida basketball is coming off their best performance in SEC play in their blowout of South Carolina. Now, they turn around and head on the road for what may be their toughest game of the season to his point, and an emotional meeting at that.
The Gators head to Manhattan to take on #5 Kansas State, and Keyontae Johnson.
It’s been just over two years since Keyontae’s collapse against Florida State. At the time he was the Gators’ best player, and it was clear he was an outstanding teammate as well from the reaction of the other guys.
He sat out the rest of the season, and all of the 2021-22 season, before making an honorary start on March 5th of 2022 in his final game in Gainesville.
Now, he’s at Kansas State and leading the Wildcats as they make a national title push. He’s scoring 18.3 points per game and grabbing 7.5 rebounds.
He has a lot of help around him as well. Senior guard Markquis Nowell is scoring 17.1 points per game and dishing out 8.3 assists. He’s also shooting the three-pointer at a 38.5% rate.
To be entirely honest, I don’t think the Gators have the personnel to stop Keyontae and Markquis, at least not at the same time. To go out to Kansas and pull off the upset, they’ll need the best offensive performance they have.
The Gators are coming off a game where they had five players score in double figures, and where they shot the ball at a 47% rate.
Colin Castleton had 18, Kowacie Reeves had 15, Riley Kugel had 14, and both Will Richard and Kyle Lofton had 10. Myreon Jones almost got a triple-double with nine points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
They need to do that and more tomorrow to win. It starts down low with Castleton. If he’s able to establish himself early, it will start to open up the arc for some perimeter shots. Riley Kugel and Will Richard have started to find their stroke from deep, and Myreon Jones is always ready to pop.
The biggest thing for the Gators tomorrow is that they need to limit their turnovers. The Wildcats rank 43rd in the country in turnovers forced per game with 15.5.
If Florida is loose with the ball and making careless passes, they don’t stand a chance. They need to play disciplined ball and take the energy out of the building fast because that crowd will eat them alive.
This win will be the biggest win for the Gators in a few years. On the road at a top 5 team, with Keyonta Johnson in a different uniform. Castleton and Niels Lane were the only players on the current team who were there when he collapsed, but it will still be emotional for everybody.
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