The Florida Gators carried the look and feel of a decent but not special team for much of the college basketball season. They did soundly beat Kentucky at home but struggled on the road. The Gators lost three separate times to a Vanderbilt team which lost 15 games heading into the NCAA Tournament. Florida was very inconsistent at certain points in the season, and when the Gators reeled off several wins in a row, it was easy to cite the lack of depth in the SEC as a main reason why Florida was not quite functioning at full speed. Head coach Mike White, in his second season at the school after replacing Billy Donovan, was still trying to find his footing. Everyone in and around the program wondered if he really was the right man for the job. His status was not in jeopardy, but everyone wanted to find a moment in which it was clear that he proved himself.
That moment came in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators crushed Virginia in the second round, dominating a strong defensive team to move to the Sweet 16. Florida beat Wisconsin on a buzzer-beating jumper to make the Elite Eight and produce a very successful March run, but the blowout of Virginia was the moment when it became clear that Florida is still a very strong program, and White is a more than capable leader of the Gators for the future. This season will try to build on the previous one in Gainesville.
Offseason Changes
One of the limitations of last year’s team was the injury to center John Egbunu. He is healthy now and will try to be a difference maker in the paint. The other significant change is that tall guard Egor Koulechov has transferred from Rice. His presence filled a void on this team, which will be mentioned shortly:
Will Succeed If…
KeVaughn Allen has another reliable scorer on the roster who will take pressure off him. Allen is a high-level catch-and-shoot marksman. He is a constant threat from three-point range and is Florida’s best and most natural shooter. Because defenses have to stay attached to him, the Gators need another wing or perimeter player who can fill it up and reduce the amount of times Allen will be double-teamed or hedged on. Koulechov could be that player, offering Florida a non-ballhandling perimeter scoring option who will enable Allen to function one-on-one. Guard Chris Chiozza came of age last March and blossomed into the complete player White and the coaching staff wanted him to be. If Chiozza has two scorers to give the ball to, not just one, the Gators will become a far tougher team to beat.
Won’t Succeed If…
The frontcourt doesn’t round into shape. Egbunu has to be a force near the basket for this team to have enough defense and muscle to withstand the long grind of the season. A bad or even modest year from Egbunu could leave this team shorthanded on the glass and in the post. This is a guard-and-wing-oriented team. It will need to find added contributions from post players and must be able to hold its own when fighting for defensive rebounds.
Roster
Mike Okauru
Chase Johnson
Eric Hester
Isaiah Stokes
Jalen Hudson
Egor Koulechov
KeVaughn Allen
Chris Chiozza
Gorjok Gak
Kevarrius Hayes
John Egbunu
Dontay Bassett
Deaundrae Ballard
Keith Stone
Schedule & Outlook
The Gators will be tested in their non-conference schedule multiple times but the good news is there are no true road games. They’ll host Florida State and No. 12 Cincinnati, and they’ll have neutral-site games against Stanford and Clemson.
The Gators overachieved last season. They certainly have an NCAA Tournament team again this season, especially since Chiozza has become the point guard the team needs to facilitate the offense. How far this team goes depends on its ability to cultivate extra sources of offensive production while not sacrificing too much defensive strength. All in all, the Gators have a good chance of winning one NCAA Tournament game, but anything more might be ambitious.
The 2018 March Madness futures are out. There has been plenty of news to keep up with in the offseason but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest college basketball betting lines right here.
