Florida Basketball Faces Challenge Against Miami Tonight

When the Florida men’s basketball team (1-0) host the Miami Hurricanes (1-0) tonight at the O’Dome, Florida will only have nine scholarship players available to take the court.

It was announced that junior Dillon Graham left the team on Sunday. With Chris Walker serving his last game of a suspension and the ineligibility of transfer big men Alex Murphy and John Egbunu, the Gators now currently lack even further depth off the bench. Additionally, Devon Walker and freshmen Brandone Francis will not be available for the entire season (for injury and academic suspension, respectively).

It gets worse for the Gators as junior Dorian Finney-Smith suffered two hairline fractures in his non-shooting hand during the season-opening win against William & Mary. “Doe-Doe” will be sporting a splint and has been cleared to play but will likely be limited in minutes against the Hurricanes.

With uncertainty surrounding the extent of Finney-Smith’s injury, it remains to be seen if Florida head coach Billy Donovan will place him in the starting frontcourt along side junior sharpshooter Michael Frazier II and Michigan transfer Jon Horford. Kasey Hill and Eli Carter are likely to start at the guard spots.

“It reminds me a little bit of the Wisconsin situation,” said Donovan, referring to playing the Badgers in the second game of the season without Scottie Wilbekin and Dorian Finney-Smith because of off the court issues. “I just think a game like this early in November gives you a really, really good gauge of where you’re at and where you need to get better.”

However, the Hurricanes have a new starting lineup of their own that includes two high profile transfers in Texas transfer Sheldon McClellan and Kansas State transfer Angel Rodriguez.

Both McClellan and Rodriguez had successful debuts in a Canes uniform. In their season-opening 84-49 victory against Howard, McClellan dropped 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Rodriguez added 16 points and four steals.

“They (Miami) are probably a lot like us,” said Florida head coach Billy Donovan. “We lose four starters and we’re kind of working and jelling and meshing and playing together. They add a whole new group of guys with McClellan sitting out (last year) and Rodriguez… so hopefully the game is a game for both teams (so) it’s going to both move us forward in becoming better.”

Miami is coached by fourth year Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga, who led the Canes to a 17-16 record last year. The Gators last played Miami in the 2009 NIT with Florida coming away with the win.

Larranaga also coached the 2006 George Mason “Cinderella” team that reached the Final Four as a No. 11 seed. Donovan and the Gators smashed their glass slipper with a 73-58 win and eventually won the first of two back-to-back national championships.

“I think offensively (Larranaga’s) teams have always been very creative,” Donovan added. “I think he’s always tried to try to, as best as he can as a coach, utilize the personnel that he has and give guys freedom to go play.

Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. from the O’Connell Center; you can hear the game live on Country 103-7 The Gator starting at 6:25 pm.

To hear the audio from the story, click below:

Donovan on the benefits of playing a tough team early in the year

Donovan on the similarities between his team and Miami’s team

Donovan on Miami’s offense