Gators Men’s Hoops Looks to Bounce Back vs Okie State

The Florida Gator basketball program is accomplished enough that the only thing worth smiling about is a win.

So while head coach Mike White may not have been happy about his team’s six point loss on the road at top ranked Michigan State last Saturday, but he did come away from that game pleased with how the Gators hustled.

In Florida’s gritty performance in East Lansing, it was evident that they were hungry to compete. However, the shots still aren’t dropping for the Gators (6-3), who rank just 211th out of 347 D-1 basketball teams in points per game (71.8). As a result, White and his staff are looking to implement new ways for Florida to get the ball in the basket, beginning with encouraging his guards to look for their own shot in the lane on fast breaks.

The Gators will try to carry over the energy they displayed at MSU, and combine that with White’s new methods, to create a new recipe for success when they face Oklahoma State on Saturday in Sunrise, FL as part of the Orange Bowl Classic. According to White, getting a win against the Cowboys (7-3) is important for both Florida’s development and resume.

In the absence of senior guard Phil Forte (torn ligament), the Pokes have been led offensively by senior forward Chris Olivier. Olivier has posted a team-high 11.2 points per game while playing in all ten games this season.

Tip off Saturday is at 8:00 p.m. from the BB&T Center, with coverage on FS1.