Show Me My Opponent, 2023-24: Florida
Reporting live from an igloo
After a week on the road playing a pair of 73-possession ballgames with very different endings, Tennessee returns home to the snowiest version of Knoxville in the 13 years I’ve been living here to play Florida. Elements are of no effect to basketball, which is kind of a shame, because hooping in the snow is pretty hilarious. I have done it once, nearly snapped an ankle, and never did it again. When you’re young and stupid you say yes to a lot of things. Now I’m older and still stupid because I ran 8 miles in the snow instead, so who’s really the winner?
Anyway, these guys get to play their basketball indoors, which is good for everyone involved. Florida is an intriguing case of a team that rates out fairly well by metrics standards (40th KenPom, 36th Torvik) but has zero quality wins. UF’s best win at the moment is one of various neutral-site wins over unlikely NCAA Tournament teams: Pittsburgh, Richmond, Michigan. In four games against Quadrant 1 opponents they’ve gone 0-4 with a -35 scoring margin and have been disastrous on defense.
I liked the Todd Golden hire a lot when it happened and still think it has real potential but we’re in Year Two now and Golden is currently 2-17 against Quad 1 opponents. Even against Quad 2 he’s just 4-3. Line the SEC teams up 1-14 and Florida’s resume currently ranks 10th-best in a conference expected to get 6-9 teams in the Tournament. Seasons are long for a reason but the Gators badly need a signature win. That’s easier said than done in an arena they last won in ten years ago and haven’t won as an underdog in since Bruce Pearl’s final year.
BEHIND THE WALL ($): THE LIONS WON A PLAYOFF GAME WHICH ISN’T RELEVANT TO THE PREVIEW BUT I NEED YOU TO HAMMER THAT INTO YOUR BRAIN THEY WON THEY WON THEY WON