Gators look for SEC win No. 5 against South Carolina
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators men’s basketball team (11-8, 4-3 SEC) returns home on Wednesday night to host the South Carolina Gamecocks (8-11, 1-5 SEC).
The Gators lead the all-time series 47-28. With their win in Columbia a season ago, the road team has won each of the last six matchups between these two programs.
Florida is coming off its fourth win in its last five games, while South Carolina’s lone win in conference play was a nail biter over Kentucky on the road.
“They have a high ceiling,” UF coach Todd Golden said of the Gamecocks on Tuesday. “They haven’t been very consistent, but they’re playing some young guys. New program, but when you go on the road and you win at Rupp, you obviously have a high ceiling and have the ability to play really, really well.
“So we’re preparing for that team because they beat anybody in the league when they play like that. We gotta do a good job of limiting them in transition and keeping them off the 3-point line.”
The game features Golden’s fifth matchup against a fellow SEC coach in his first year with his respective school. He is undefeated in the first four matchups and looks to make it 5-0 against Lamont Paris’ squad.
After splitting road conference games a week ago, UF is still on the bubble as the seventh team out of the NCAA Tournament according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. A loss on Wednesday night would be hard to overlook on the resume come March.
South Carolina players to watch
After taking a quick glance at the SC roster, GG Jackson is the first name that calls for attention. He was the No. 10 overall player in the 2022 class and leads the Gamecocks with 15.9 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game.
“I think he’s really talented, has the ability to score in all three levels, shouldering a big load for them, having to use all their possessions,” Golden said of Jackson. “He was a guy that was kind of learning on the fly, having some tough matchups.
“We were watching some film of him against Tennessee and Auburn, and he’s going up against some veterans and having to try to find his way. But he’s a guy that if you don’t do the right things against him defensively and you don’t stay in his hip pocket, he has the ability to get shots off anywhere. But we’re gonna have to be tough and really physical with him to kind of keep out of his comfort zone.”
South Carolina has three other players in double figures: Meechie Johnson (12.4), Chico Carter Jr. (10.9) and Hayden Brown (10.8). Outside of these four players, the Gamecocks’ highest scorer is Jacobi Wright with 5.4.
How Florida gets it done at home
UF will likely be without forward Alex Fudge on Wednesday after he suffered a head injury in the Gators’ win at Mississippi State, according to Golden.
With that, the Gators are relying on Jason Jitoboh to have a bigger role against the Gamecocks and Will Richard will also play more at the four.
Florida is ranked No. 13 in the country in defensive efficiency according to KenPom, which gives them the advantage over a South Carolina team scoring 63.7 points per game.
The challenge for the Gators will be whether they can find success scoring for 40 minutes. A win on Wednesday night is important with UF’s toughest four-game stretch beginning Saturday with three top-10 opponents and a date with Kentucky at Rupp.
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
WHO: South Carolina Gamecocks (8-11, 1-5 SEC) at Florida Gators (11-8, 4-3 SEC)
WHEN: Wednesday, January 25, 7 p.m. ET
WHERE: Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center (10,151)
WATCH: ESPN2 or ESPN app; Play-by-Play: Kevin Fitzgerald; Color: Pat Bradley
RADIO: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD (SiriusXM 380, SXM App 970); Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley; Analyst: Lee Humphrey
BETTING LINES: Florida (-15.5); Over/Under: 134
