It's another top-ten matchup in the SEC: Florida Basketball will take on Auburn at 4 p.m. on ESPN 2. Last week, Florida went on the road against Tennessee and did not handle the environment well en route to getting blown out by 20 points.
In our prediction, we think Florida should cover the massive 8.5-point spread but is going to fall just short. If the Gators are going to win, the following are three areas that they need to mitigate this afternoon.
Free Throws
As we noted in our preview, Auburn tends to foul a ton. The Tigers are 220th in fouls per field goals attempted.
The problem for the Gators is that free throw shooting has been a bit of an adventure and Florida is shooting 71% from the line. That's 206th in the country.
So it may sound cliche, but making free throws today could literally be the difference between winning and losing.
Block Party
Auburn may foul a lot, but they also send a ton of shots back to sender as the Tigers are 1st in the country in blocks per game and are blocking 12.2% of shots attempted.
Obviously the headliner for Auburn is Johni Broome, who is averaging just a tick below three blocks per game, but Dylan Cardwel is also capable of getting two blocks off the bench.
But Florida themselves are a team that doesn't get a ton of shots blocked. Only 5% of Florida's shots have been blocked, which is good for 72nd in the country.
The Gators are hoping they are one of the few teams in America who can match Auburn's size.
Hold The Ball
One of the struggles for Florida is when teams have opted to press and jam their screens. Auburn is a team that can force turnovers but it is not their bread and butter.
They are just inside the top 100 in steals per game, and they are 167th in opponent turnovers per game.
Pathway To Victory
So, if you add it all together, Florida can't have the sloppy turnovers they had against Tennesee. If they can get to the rim, use their size and not get blocked, forced fouls, and actually hit their free throws, the pathway to a win is in sight.