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Game Preview: Florida

Tonight's game will be played on ESPN at 7:00 PM.
Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Jaden Springer (11) goes to the basket against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

In the middle of the newsworthy day that was Monday on Rocky Top, the Vols' basketball team quietly climbed up to number 6 in the nation in the latest AP poll. 

Now, just a day after Tennessee announced that Pruitt was out as head coach, Rick Barnes, and his team will serve as a much-needed distraction for many Tennessee fans on Tuesday night. 

Tennessee travels to Gainesville to take on a 6-4 Florida team which has lost three of its last four games.

The Gators are coached by Mike White who is in his sixth season in Gainesville.

Florida Offensive Notes:

Florida averages just over 76 points per game. They can score in a variety of ways, but what stands out is their quickness and team athleticism, particularly in the backcourt. Their guards are confident players who won't hesitate to take defenders one on one to get a bucket. It's not always the prettiest offense, and at times tonight, you'll likely see off-ball players for the Gators standing around watching the action. Florida's offense isn't filled with a lot of motion sets, but if the Gators are hitting their shots it's effective, nonetheless. If Tennessee's defenders can stay in front of their man and create tough looks, Florida could end up relying on tough shots off the dribble to score.

Tre Mann leads Florida in scoring at 14 points per game. He handles the ball well and plays with a ton of confidence. Mann is a guy to watch if the Gators' offense gets stagnant. He's not shy about playing one on one and getting his own shot if necessary. Mann and Noah Locke are two Gators that Tennessee will have to watch beyond the three-point line. Both love the deep shot and are shooting on the plus side of 40% on the year. In the backcourt, Florida is a team that can beat you in a number of ways with a number of players. Their quickness and athleticism allow their guards to be just as effective driving to the basket as they are shooting from deep. With several players capable of getting to double figures, the Gators have the privilege of deferring to the hot hand on any given night. Ball pressure will be key for the Vols on Tuesday. If Tennessee's defenders get beat off the dribble and help defenders are forced to leave their man, Florida may find themselves kicking the ball outside for open jumpers.

In the post the Gators still without star forward Keyontae Johnson. In his absence, 6'11 forward Collin Castleton has really played well. He's a big man who thrives around the rim. He's good really good feet for a player his size and is a guy that Tennessee needs to keep the ball away from down low. He's not as big of an outside threat as some big men the Vols have faced this year, but he's accurate with the ball inside. He's shooting 61% from the field this season and is just behind Tree Mann as the Gators' second-leading scorer. A very hard worker on the glass, Castleton leads his team in rebounding. On the offensive glass is where he can really hurt teams, so Tennessee must put a body on him and be aware of where he's at once a shot is put up.

Overall, Florida's offense isn't always a thing of beauty. It's not always filled with motion sets that get cutting players the ball. However, Florida has good enough athletes that their offensive style works if they can get a few tough shots to fall. Confidence isn't a thing this team lacks on offense, so Tennessee needs to come prepared on Tuesday night.

Florida Defensive Notes

The Gators are giving up 71 points per game. This team is filled with long, rangy athletes. Because of that, if dialed in, Florida's defense can be pretty good. They play man to man defense primarily, and their guards aren't afraid to go for steals. Florida's defense can be porous at times. Castleton is pretty athletic for a big man, and his quickness and court-awareness allows him to get in a position to be a shot blocker. Opposing teams with athleticism have been able to hurt the Gators by getting inside through cuts and dribble penetration. On the wings, Florida closes out hard. A well-timed shot fake can frequently get a Gator in the air or off-balance, and teams have been able to drive on Florida by doing this. As quick as some of Tennessee's guards are, I wouldn't be shocked to see this a few times on Tuesday. If the Vols can hit a few deep shots early, it could exacerbate this issue.

Final Note:

Tuesday's matchup offers Bearden High School fans a little something extra to watch for. A former Bulldog state champion and high school teammate of Tennessee's Drew Pember plays for Florida. Ques Glover has seen action in nine games this year and comes in at guard off the bench.

Tonight's game will be played on ESPN at 7:00 PM.

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