The quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament are set, and Florida Basketball is slated to take on Missouri tonight at 7 PM. This will be a rematch of the January 15th contest that Missouri squeaked out 83-82.
For the Gators to lock up a one-seed for the NCAA Tournament, a win over Missouri would go a long way. The following are the three pathways for Florida to get their revenge over the Tigers.
Contain Caleb Grill
When Florida took on Missouri the first time, Grill popped off the bench for 22 points on 6-10 shooting from three. The eventual SEC 6th Man of the Year literally couldn't miss, even with a hand in his face.
But Grill has been wildly inconsistent throughout the season, and last night against Mississippi State he had just five points on 1-8 shooting from three.
So if Florida can keep Grill at 10 points or under, they should feel good about their chances.
Make Free Throws
It is a continued cliche that free throw shooting for Florida has been an adventure in 2025, but the reality is that shots from the charity stripe cost Florida as much as anything in the initial matchup.
Florida shot 67% from the line back in January, going 21-31. In a game they lost by one point, missing ten free throws was a massive anchor on the Gators, and if they can hit their shots tonight it should help them pull away.
Protect The Ball
One of the other factors that led to Florida losing was their inability to handle the pressure that Missouri was presenting in the first half as the Gators went into the locker room down 50-34.
The Gators are 76th in the country in turnovers per game with ten, but Missouri is 39th in turnovers forced. And in the January matchup, it was Missouri that won that battle, forcing Florida into 13.