Florida will look to get back on the right track when it takes on Stanford in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Thursday night.
The Gators weren’t able to make enough plays down the stretch in their 65-60 loss to Oklahoma, as they went just 3 of 11 from the free-throw line in the game.
Meanwhile, the Cardinal had their own shooting struggles in going 2 of 18 from 3-point range in the 62-46 loss to Wisconsin.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this game.
Game Details
- Florida (2-2) vs. Stanford (2-2)
- Location: Imperial Arena at Atlantis Resort – Nassau, Bahamas (Battle 4 Atlantis)
- Game Date: Nov. 22
- Game Time: 7 p.m. EST
- Watch: ESPN2
Players to Watch
KeVaughn Allen (Florida)
The Gators really need more production from their 6-2 senior, as Allen hasn’t been able to find his scoring rhythm thus far this season.
He shot 4 of 10 for 10 points against Oklahoma and even missed both of his attempts from the free-throw line, which is rare for a player that shot 90.6 percent from the charity stripe last year.
Things simply aren’t fully clicking just yet for Mike White’s team, and Allen could provide a big spark that would help things progress more quickly.
KZ Okpala (Stanford)
Okpala is off to an excellent start in his second season at the school, with the 6-9 sophomore averaging 22.7 points and 7.3 rebounds through four games.
He’s playing a team-high 35.3 minutes, which is no surprise considering how he fills the stat sheet on a regular basis.
While he couldn’t find a flow against Wisconsin (2 of 13 from the floor), he should be able to find better looks against the Gators.
Key Stats
This will be a battle between teams that have yet to find a groove from long range, as Stanford is shooting just 31.4 percent (237th nationally) while Florida is making only 30.1 percent of its shots (270th nationally).
From a size standpoint, the Cardinal will have a clear advantage considering that three starters are 6-9 or taller, and that has Jerod Haase’s team in the top five nationally in average height.
Florida hasn’t done much on the offensive glass to this point (328th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage), so we probably shouldn’t expect the Gators to find too many extra looks.
However, Florida will hope to rely on its defense, with White’s squad ranking 12th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Florida -6.5
- Over/Under: 136.5
- KenPom Projection: Florida, 74 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Florida, 83.1 percent chance to win
This game will likely be a big change from last season’s meeting at the PK80, which saw Florida cruise to a 108-87 victory.
It’s hard to get a feel on these teams at this point, but what we do know is that both are a work in progress.
The Gators didn’t play terrible against Oklahoma, and it was mainly the little things that led to the defeat.
Florida has find a better flow on the offensive side of the court, which could come with better shooting efforts from players like Allen and fellow senior Jalen Hudson.
Stanford’s size could present some challenges when it comes to rebounding and finding quality shots in the paint, so Florida needs to have a focused effort in those particular areas.
While there are obvious concerns with the Gators’ overall consistency, they are the more confident pick here.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 50-10
Game Prediction: Florida 70, Stanford 65
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