Gator Men’s Hoops Host South Carolina

The Gator men’s basketball team(11-8) is back at the O’Dome Wednesday night. They host the South Carolina Gamecocks (8-11) with tipoff set for 7 p.m. The Gators have won four of their last five games against SEC opponents and the Gamecocks are looking to snap a three-game skid.

Read up about tonight's matchup ⤵️#GoGators | 🗞 @GatorsChris

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 25, 2023

Gators Look for Fifth SEC Win

Florida has been on a roll against SEC opponents. After dropping their first two conference games to Auburn and Texas A&M, they have won four of their last five. This has pushed them just outside of the top five in the SEC standings. Colin Castleton has been key for the Gators recent success. He’s scored above 12 points in each conference game and has shot above 48% from the field in four of them. He is also one block short of entering the top-five in Gators all-time block totals.

The Gators have improved on the defensive side of the ball, recently. Head coach Todd Golden has prioritized defense in recent practices and it has shown in their wins. The Gators are currently ranked in the top-15 for defensive efficiency according to KenPom national rankings.

South Carolina Looks to End Losing Streak

The Gamecocks haven’t had the best start to this season. They’re three games below .500 and have only one SEC win against Kentucky. South Carolina came into the year with the top freshman in the 2022 class, GG Jackson. Jackson dropped 30 points in the Gamecocks most recent game against Auburn. He’s the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, and the driving force of their offense. They’ll need him to be on point for any hope at a win.

Kid has a bright future.

🌴⭐️ @_ggjackson ⭐️🌴#Gamecocks🐔🏀 // #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/g0hTvEm8Bu

— Gamecock Men's Basketball (@GamecockMBB) January 24, 2023

Key to a Gators Victory

Golden’s squad has an edge coming into the game with their home crowd behind them and South Carolina’s recent struggles. Florida must continue being efficient on the defensive end in order to slow down South Carolina’s star freshman. Offensively, Castleton needs to dominate in the post and clean up the offensive boards.