MidWeek Hoops: No. 24 Gators at No. 13 Alabama

The Gators are in for a challenge, as the men’s basketball team plays against Alabama Wednesday night. The game is set for 7 p.m. in Tuscaloosa.

mid week matchup ⤵️

@ Alabama
@ 7 PM pic.twitter.com/5OCwiSmpyK

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) February 21, 2024

This is an important game for both teams, as March Madness is right around the corner. The Gators earned their way into the No. 24 spot, while Alabama sits pretty at No. 13. This is also the first time the Gators have been ranked since Dec. 6, 2021.

Florida is coming off an 88-82 win against the Georgia Bulldogs, as well as a three-game winning streak. Alabama is also coming off a two-game winning streak after defeating Texas A&M 100-75 on Saturday.

Incoming: Points

Alabama has hit at least 100 points in both of its last two games.

While the Gators are also high scorers, they have not hit 100 points in a game since they beat Georgia Jan. 27. The Gators may struggle to keep up with Alabama points-wise; however, both teams are still very strong offensively. So it could also be a tight, high-scoring game.

Bama’s Bread & Butter

Alabama has statistically been the best in college basketball in terms of offense efficiency. Alabama coach Nate Oats has achieved this by styling his gameplay after the NBA.

This NBA style of play has also been appealing to recruits who are looking for fast-paced play with lots of room for development.

The program has proved successful, as Alabama currently has nine alumni playing in the NBA, with additional high success in playing style and player development.

This is how Alabama is continuing to get fresh, new recruits who are growing their skills and developing the team, under Oats.

The Florida Defense

Alabama’s offense is a shining star in college basketball. Bama’s Mark Sears leads his team with 20.6 points per game.

Walter Clayton Jr. is not far behind, leading the Gators with 16.4 points per game.

However, both teams struggle a little on the defensive side. Gators coach Todd Golden has been working on his team, and there’s been a lot of improvements in defense over the past few games.

This may be the Gators’ opportunity to steal the game, as Alabama’s defense struggles to keep up with its own offense.

Unless Alabama’s defense can match their offense, the Gators may have a chance to win the game through their defense.

Up Next

Florida is set to play Vanderbilt at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and Alabama’s next game will be at 4 p.m. Saturday against Kentucky.

reporting live from the top-25 🫡 pic.twitter.com/burv1KcMBr

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) February 19, 2024