Florida Looks To Break Three-Game Losing Streak Vs. Florida State On Monday Night

Florida and Florida State will square off on the hardwood for the 69th time on Monday night. The Gators and the Seminoles first played in 1951 in Tampa. While UF has won 43 of the 68 meetings, the Gators’ last win over the ‘Noles came in 2013.

Florida State started their current three-game win streak in 2014 when Jacob Kurtz tipped a rebound in his own basket, winning the game for the Seminoles. FSU won the next two contests  73-71 and 83-78. Monday’s game tips-off at 9 p.m. on ESPN2 at Exactech Arena.

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Hot Hand

The Gators have been on an offensive tear to start the season. They rank 1st in points per game (99.5 PPG), 3rd in assist-to-turnover ratio (2:1), 5th in three-point percentage (46%), t-12th in three-pointers made per game (11.5) and 29th in assists per game (18.2 APG). Florida is also ranked 8th in offensive efficiency, per KenPom, their highest rating since the 2012-2013 season.

Individually, Chris Chiozza is averaging 6.8 assists per game, good for 15th in the NCAA, while Jalen Hudson is scoring the most points per possession (1.33) of any player on a team in a Power5 conference. Hudson and Egor Koulechov also rank 42nd and t-44th in three-point percentage nationally.

The ‘Noles

Florida State is 6-0 on the season, but their best wins have come against Rutgers, George Washington and Colorado State. The Seminoles have only faced one Power5 opponent this year. Still, FSU has fared well against mid-major competition and are averaging 88.8 points per game, which ranks 22nd in the nation.

Their offense has been extremely efficient this season, knocking down 51.7% of their shot attempts. The team is marginally worse from beyond the arc, sinking only 35.8% of their attempts from long-range. FSU is also posting 18.7 dimes per contest, good for 19th in the NCAA.

Older Talent

Junior Terance Mann and senior Phil Cofer have scored 33.2% of Florida State’s points this season and are shooting a combined 65.5% from the field. Mann is a versatile player who can score from all three levels of the court, while Cofer is the better pure shooter of the two. If FSU wants to keep up with UF’s fast-paced offense, these are the two guys who need to lead the team.

News Of Note

On December 29, 2015, KeVaughn Allen scored 32 points in just his 12th game with the Gators in a 73-71 loss to the Seminoles. Allen wouldn’t score 30 points again until his sophomore year, when he finished with a career-high 35 points in the 2017 Sweet 16 vs. Wisconsin.

How To Watch And Listen

Monday night’s game tips-off at 9 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN2, with Tom Hart and Sean Farnham on the call. You can listen to the game on the Gator IMG Sports Network, with Mick Hubert and Mark Wise on the call. Mick Hubert is returning from a three-game absence, after Ted Emrich called the PK80 Tournament on the radio for the Gators. Hubert was on assignment calling the Florida-Florida State football game.

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