Florida is set to take on Texas A&M at 8:30 in College Station. First place in the SEC is at stake as both the Gators and the Aggies are 7-2 in SEC play, but Florida is also ranked No. 17 while Texas A&M is unranked. Texas A&M’s strength of schedule has created a bit of smoke and mirrors for the Aggies, but they do have a style that could cause Florida problems if they are not careful.
With that in mind, there are the three keys to the game in order for Florida to emerge victorious tonight.
Florida has to win the glass by a lot
This isn’t a shock, but the blueprint for Florida starts with dominating the glass. The good news for Florida is that Texas A&M is not a great rebounding team. They are 202nd in the country in opponent offensive rebounding percentage, and they don’t exactly generate their own second-chance opportunities (118th in offensive rebounding).
Don’t be shocked if Rueben Chinyelu has another 15+ rebound game and imposes his will against the Aggies.
Florida must own the paint on offense
Much like the need to rebound, Florida also needs to find its way in the lane to actually score. The three-point shooting is what it is for Florida at this point, but the Gators are 20th in two-point shooting percentage.
And just like Texas A&M struggles to rebound the ball, they are not a great team at defending the paint. The Aggies are just 170th in oppenet two point shooting percentage. If Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh get moving downhill, it could turn into an easy night.
Florida has to break A&M’s 3-point engine without losing the turnover battle
So what does Texas A&M actually do well?
Well, they are a high-volume three-point shooting team, and unlike the Gators, they actually make their shots. Texas A&M is 13th in three-point shot attempts per game and 28th in three-point percentage. This is where Haugh’s versatility will be massive, but also where Xaivian Lee is going to have to step up defensively.
Likewise, A&M is 19th in opponent turnovers per game, while Florida is 67th in turnovers per game. The Gators have done a better job as of late protecting the ball, but if they start giving it away and don’t get the ball to the pain in the first place, it could open the door for A&M.