The Gators (12-3, 0-0) open SEC play Saturday up in Knoxville against the Tennessee Volunteers (7-7, 0-0). A tough non-conference schedule has prepared the Gators for the challenges they will face week in and week out within the SEC.
The Gators were able to gain three resume builders from their non-conference schedule with wins over Texas A&M, Arizona, and Florida State.
Saturday’s game will also be the SEC opener for Tennessee who holds an overall record of 7-7 though five of their seven loses has been by less than 10 points. Early in the Season their loses were coming against top teams such as Duke, Memphis, and Pittsburgh, but as the season has progressed they have had some questionable loses to Oakland (Mich.), Austin Peay, and College of Charleston.
The Vols are an inconsistent team that will scrap and fight to keep games close, but have not yet shown the ability to win those close games down the stretch. Under first year coach Cuonzo Martin, who replaced Bruce Pearl after violations he had committed, the Vols enjoy running the fast break and creating dribble opportunities to the basket, as well as relying heavily on 3-point shots.
Both teams contain high scoring attacks with the Gators averaging 85 ppg and Tennessee averaging 75 ppg, because of this the key to the game will be how each team’s defense is able to defend from the perimeter. This is even more key for Tennessee after the Gators knocked down a school record 15 shots from beyond the arc Tuesday against UAB.
The team with the higher 3-point percentage in the end will have the best chance of winning because that is how each team’s offense will look to dictate the game.
Kenny Boyton has had the hot hand for the Gators this season averaging 19.5 ppg including 46.7 percent from 3-point range. The Vols top scoring threat is Trae Golden, averaging 14.8 ppg and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc.
If either team has a poor shooting night the strategy of the game will turn to the battle in the paint between Patric Young (6-9, 247) of the Gators and Jeronne Maymon (6-7, 265) of the Vols. Each player is a force down low both offensively and defensively and may play a deciding role in the outcome of the game if either team struggles to find rhythm from beyond the arc.
Patric Young has developed his offensive game of late and averages 12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, while Jeronne Maymon has averaged 11.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg.
In this battle of high flying, fast breaking offenses the Gators will have the advantage of having the Vols home crowd calmed down by an 11 A.M. tip-off. The time factor combined with the Gators steady play against the Vols erratic play is the recipe for a Gators victory in their SEC opener.
Anthony Richards
@GridironGator
http://secfanatic.wordpress.com/
