Photo: Gators head coach Todd Golden; Credit: Zach Goodall
The Florida Gators are one game away from competing for a conference title in the 2023-24 SEC Tournament.
After downing the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide on Thursday and Friday, respectively, the Gators are tasked with their third game in as many days. They’ll take ona Texas A&M program that has had their number in the last five meetings in the semi-finals matchup.
You can find everything you need to know before tip-off below, including an in-depth rundown of Florida's opponent, game prediction and more.
No. 6 Florida Gators vs. No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
When: Saturday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN | fuboTV (start your free trial)
Radio: Gators Sports Network from LEARFIELD | FloridaGators.com | The Varsity Network App
Odds: The Gators are 3.5-point favorites over the Aggies on Saturday, according to SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the contest is set at 151.5 points.
Series history: The all-time series between Florida and Texas A&M is tied at nine games apiece. In the most recent meeting on Feb. 3, the Aggies toppled the Gators 67-66 in College Station.
Important stories
- Gators Dominate Crimson Tide in Quarterfinal, Post 102-88 Win
- Gators Advance in SEC Tournament With 85-80 Win Over Georgia Bulldogs
- Gators Extending Head Men’s Basketball Coach Todd Golden
- Florida to Face Georgia in Second Round of SEC Tournament
- Gators Forward Tyrese Samuel Named to AP All-SEC Second Team
- Florida Hoops Trio Earns 2023-24 Regular Season SEC Honors
- Florida Suffers Road Loss to Vanderbilt in Regular Season Finale, 79-78
- Gators Roll Over Tide on Senior Night, 105-87
- Todd Golden: Florida Gators' A Little Ahead' in Program Rebuild Process
- No. 24 Florida Falls Short of OT Upset vs. No. 13 Alabama, 98-93
- Column: Gators Guard Zyon Pullin Deserves More National Recognition
- Gators in 'Great Spot' for March Madness Bid
- Exclusive: Golden's Gators Striving for 'Next Step' With Reconstructed Roster
The rundown
Texas A&M imposes a unique, yet very definable, style. So does Florida. And they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum.
After Florida’s favorable matchup against an Alabama team with a very similar style of play, the script will be flipped on Saturday as Texas A&M operates as a methodical, defensive-oriented opponent.
Led by an uber-active defense, deployed by head coach Buzz Williams throughout his career at the collegiate level, the Aggies have a propensity to force teams into turning the ball over and forcing ill-advised shots up when a window is provided.
The scheme has notably affected Florida in recent matchups.
Multi-year starters Wade Taylor IV, Tyrese Radford and Henry Coleman III have spearheaded the Aggies’ efforts, providing veteran leadership as highly energetic two-way players.
The trio directly accounts for over 60% of the teams overall scoring production en route to a total 74.3 points per game on average while allowing just 70.1.
Gators guards Zyon Pullin and Walter Clayton Jr. will be tasked with controlling the tempo and taking care of the basketball to avoid TAMU’s opportune transition buckets off forced turnovers. In turn, they’ll dictate UF’s formidability against the dynamic Texas A&M defense.
Despite the contrasting styles, the Gators and Aggies both produce at an elite rate on the boards, each ranking within the top five in rebounds per game this season. Their relentless pursuit on the glass have enabled them to progress to this stage in the SEC Tournament.
It’s expected to be a closer battle on the boards than most contests have been for each throughout the year as a result. The game is expected to produce a lower score total than Florida is accustomed to, but higher than the Aggies have commonly allowed this season.
Brandon's Prediction (20-7): Florida 79, Texas A&M 76
The Gators have lost five straight games to the Texas A&M Aggies by a combined ten points. They’ve been close to toppling Buzz Williams and Co. previously, but the contrasting, grind-it-out style TAMU employs has helped the Aggies prevail in the end each time.
Saturday is the day the trend of close losses end for Florida, giving Gators head coach Todd Golden his first win over one of the SEC’s top programs overall.
It will still be a closely contested bout, a fact evident by the past results and a common theme of college basketball in March.
However, Florida is one of the few teams who can adequately match the rebounding prowess of Texas A&M and possess one of the few offensive attacks in the country that can overcome the uber-active Aggies’ defense.
It’ll take an all-around effort, including at least four double-digit scorers in a lower scoring bout than UF is accustomed to, by the Gators to advance to the final game of the 2023-24 SEC Tournament. I expect Clayton and Pullin to lead the effort, per usual, with extra help from the frontcourt to elicit a critical win.
Florida moves on into the championship contest with a 79-76 triumph over Texas A&M.
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