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The Florida Gators men’s basketball team will travel to North Carolina on Wednesday to take on Wake Forest in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge. The new tournament will replace the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Gators are 2-1 against ACC teams so far, defeating Florida State and Pittsburgh. Their loss came against Virginia.
Despite losing to Baylor Friday, the Gators have been promising during Todd Golden’s second year as head coach. Walter Clayton Jr., Tyrese Samuel and Zyon Pullin have been key contributors in their first season with the Gators. Additionally, returning players Riley Kugel and Will Richard have continued to make a difference on both sides of the ball.
Gators’ Gameplan
The Gators have one of the most explosive offenses in college basketball, averaging 86.3 points per game. Though, the defense will need to step up to keep Wake Forest off the board. The Gators defense, which was the team’s strong suit last season, has allowed 74.7 points per game this year. In Tuesday’s press conference, Todd Golden spoke about what the Gators expect from Wake Forest’s offense.
The absence of Micah Handlogten likely contributed to the Gators’ defensive struggles as of late. Handlogten left with an ankle injury less than one minute into the matchup with Pittsburgh. Golden talked about the possibility of Handlogten returning against Wake Forest.
Whether or not Handlogten plays against Wake Forest will determine Florida’s game plan. Without their 7-foot-1 center, the Gators are forced to play “small ball.” They have been relying on their guards for offensive and defensive contributions. Golden spoke on what the Gators’ strategy has been without their starting center.
ACC/SEC Challenge Impact
The Gators have another test in the young season against a Power 5 school in Wake Forest. It’s important for a Florida team looking for a March Madness berth to stack up wins in the early season against unranked opponents. The Gators follow up the challenge with matchups against Merrimack and Richmond.
Tipoff is at 7:15 p.m.
