5 months ago
When | 7:30 p.m. CT connected Saturday, January 3rd
Where | Mizzou Arena; Columbia, MO
TV | SEC Network
Radio | Tiger Radio Network
ESPN triumph probability | 33.2% chance
G: Anthony Robinson II (JR, 10.9 PPG)
G: Annor Boateng (SO, 4.9 PPG)
G: Jacob Crews (SR, 13.9 PPG)
F: Mark Mitchell (SR, 17.2 PPG)
C: Shawn Phillips, Jr. (SR, 8.0 PPG)
Notable Sixth Man: Sebastian Mack (JR, 91. PPG)
F: Alex Condon (JR, 14.3 PPG)
F: Thomas Haugh (JR, 16.7 PPG)
G: Boogie Fland (SO, 11.4 PPG)
G: Xaivian Lee (SR, 12.2 PPG)
C: Reuben Chinyelu (JR, 10.7 PPG)
Notable Sixth Man: Urban Klavzar (JR, 8.9 PPG)
Note: these starting lineups are projected.
Get to cognize nan Florida Gators
First, a speedy excerpt from Sam Snelling’s preseason preview:
Clearly you tin expect nan interior to beryllium each spot arsenic bully arsenic they were past year. Florida’s violative rebounding was 5th successful nan country, their 2-point shooting was 29th, and they were successful nan 94th percentile astatine nan rim. All nan things nan Florida bigs were past year, you expect them to beryllium again. Then this research each comes down to nan talented Boogie Fland …. If Fland is nan guy, nan Gators are contending for a 2nd nationalist championship. If he’s a somewhat altered type of who he was past year, nan Gators will still beryllium good. But they’ll return a measurement back.“
The NCAA champions participate Mizzou Arena looking to chomp nan Tigers, who didn’t extremity 2025 connected a bully statement and are reeling from 1 of nan worst defeats successful schoolhouse history against Illinois.
A Christmas break later, Mizzou hasn’t faced title since December 22nd, but will a week of believe and reset beryllium capable to look a goliath of nan SEC?
Heading into nan season, Florida was heavy favored to triumph nan convention and according to FanDuel Sportsbook, nan Gators person nan 11th-best likelihood to declare nan crown of nan NCAA erstwhile again. The 2025 Gator squad was capable to predominate its opponents pinch a loaded roster, astir of which is returning this season. Unlike galore erstwhile nationalist champions, Florida will look rather similar, minus nan nonaccomplishment of nan backcourt. Plus, Arkansas transportation Boogie Fland enters nan fold.
Each starter connected nan roster averages astatine slightest 10 points per crippled and nan chair besides possesses a load of talent.
Regardless of who starts and what evolves pinch nan rotation, nan Gators’ 3 main large men should spot nan level a lot, and erstwhile they’re not they still person Micah Handlogten disposable arsenic well. There is nary rumor present pinch nan Gators extent connected nan interior.
Alex Condon, 1 of nan biggest names connected nan roster, besides averages 8.9 rebounds per crippled alongside his 14.3 points. His rebound ratio lands him successful nan apical 45 of players crossed nan country. On nan road, nan guardant averages a section extremity occurrence complaint of 41.9 percent, astir 17 percent little than erstwhile astatine location (Condon has played 9 games astatine home, but only 3 connected nan road).
Averaging double digit boards, sitting astatine ninth nationally, is returner Rueben Chinyelu. This twelvemonth he’s besides figured retired really to make a limb of himself offensively.
The Gators’ starring man arsenic of precocious is Thomas Haugh. The inferior is presently averaging 16.7 points per crippled pinch nary hint of slowing down. Unlike Condon, he’s lethal from beyond nan arc and really averages higher occurrence rates connected nan roadworthy versus home. In 3 distant games, Haugh sees 57.5 percent of his shots autumn from nan section and northbound of 40 percent from three.
Additionally, nan Gators are putting up these numbers against different bully teams. According to KenPom, Florida’s spot of schedule lands them astatine #33. Meanwhile, Mizzou’s noncon play has nan Tigers each nan measurement down successful nan 350’s.
Overall, KenPom besides lists Florida arsenic nan 13th champion squad successful nan NCAA.
The Gators’ 3 losses this play travel pinch a four-point conclusion connected Thanksgiving to TCU, a one-point thriller to then-No. 4 Duke and different four-point rustle from then-No.5 UConn. Florida tin clasp its weight against apical tier teams, and unluckily Mizzou can’t opportunity nan aforesaid astir themselves rather yet.
Florida comes to Mizzou Arena highly businesslike connected nan glass. With Mizzou’s height, it’s an area of nan crippled they triumph rather often and it’s moreover much important to find immoderate advantage imaginable against a squad for illustration Florida. The Gators person made countless opponents salary nan value disconnected of second-chance points arsenic well. It will beryllium important for Mizzou to effort to limit harm connected nan rebounding separator to support themselves successful nan game. When Mizzou has fallen down greatly connected nan boards, it’s shown successful aggregate facets of nan crippled and a cardinal problem successful losses.
If you couldn’t show from nan first key, nan separator for correction for Mizzou is rather slim. Another measurement to support them alive? Success from nan perimeter. Last year, Caleb Grill had 22 points, eighteen of which were from beyond nan arc. If Jacob Crews, Anthony Robinson II and others tin measurement up successful spot of Grill, Florida will look a person crippled than they think. When Mizzou struggles from further than section extremity range, nan discourtesy has a inclination to go rather stagnant. The discourtesy needs to beryllium not only consistent, but besides creative.
Don’t return your ft disconnected nan gas.
Along nan lines of being effective from three, nan Tigers besides request to enactment accordant offensively. A barren spell for Mizzou could lead to a lethal Florida tally that tin easy alteration momentum successful favour of nan visitors. Another rumor for nan Tigers this play has been nan inability to excel for a afloat 40 minutes, and arsenic SEC play starts, Mizzou will person a agelong roadworthy up if they don’t get that squared away. After nan nonaccomplishment to Illinois, nan Tigers will want to beryllium they are still an elite squad and what amended measurement to do that than to play a full, fierce crippled against nan Gators.
Final Score: Florida 82 - Mizzou 68
While I deliberation Mizzou has nan talent to beryllium competitory successful this matchup, I don’t deliberation it’s capable to assistance them connected apical of nan Florida Gators. Multiple areas request to beryllium apical notch for nan Tigers to propulsion disconnected a triumph and I’m not assured that Mizzou’s crippled is astatine that level rather yet. However, it will beryllium basal maturation for this squad arsenic they advancement into SEC play and proceed to look elite title wrong nan conference.
