Gators look to bounce back from FAU loss in first road trip at FSU

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Since becoming the men’s basketball coach at Florida, Todd Golden has fielded several requests from fans.

No. 1, of course, is make the NCAA Tournament. Beating Kentucky and competing in the SEC are priorities too, and so is recruiting.

Another one? Winning the Florida State game.

“Quite a few,” Golden said with a laugh when asked Thursday how many UF fans have asked him to beat FSU.

The Gators defeated the Seminoles last year in Gainesville, 71-55, but they haven’t won in Tallahassee in a decade. Their last road victory in the rivalry series was Dec. 5, 2012.

Florida State hosts UF at 8 p.m. Friday on ACC Network.

“It would be nice (to win) for a bunch of reasons,” Golden said. “Obviously, we have a sour taste in our mouths coming off the FAU game. It’s a rivalry game and they’re going to try to beat our brains in and we’re going to try to do the same to them.

“It’s going to be a little bit of bragging rights in terms of the FSU game and bragging rights for who gets it done. So, we’re going to go in there and give it everything we’ve got to get this thing done on Friday night.”

The Gators are coming off their first loss of the season against FAU, which knocked down 13 3-pointers to pull of the 76-74 upset. Florida starter Kowacie Reeves said practices have been “pretty intense” this week as the team tries to bounce back in Tallahassee.

“It’s very important because we’re coming off a loss, so we’re going to see how we deal with adversity,” Reeves said. “It’s important because how we deal with adversity is going to shape our season. I mean, we lost this game. It was a tight one. It’s not going to be the only time we’re in a tight game. Friday might be tight, who knows? But it’s just how we respond to it.

“(The rivalry) is a big deal. People have been talking about how they’ve been losing. We’re definitely not getting the team that played those first three games. We’re not playing against that same team. They’re going to be way better. They’re probably going to play their best basketball Friday, so we just have to be mentally prepared.” 

The Seminoles have opened the 2022-23 season with an 0-3 record, suffering losses to Stetson, UCF and Troy. Florida State is led by Darin Green Jr.’s 16.3 points per game, as Green is shooting 12-for-22 (.545) from 3-point range. Green exploded for 24 points vs. Troy, including a 7-for-9 performance beyond the arc.

Cam’Ron Fletcher is producing 11.7 points and a team-leading 8.3 rebounds per game. Caleb Mills is also scoring in double figures at 10.7 points per game and leads the team with eight steals, while Jalen Worley has a team leading 14 assists off the bench.

“They’re shorthanded; they’re not playing a lot of guys. But they have good players,” Golden said of the ‘Noles. “It’s a program that always has good talent. They’re playing guys that are 6-4 to 6-8 that are long, athletic, can cover up a lot of things defensively, has some good straight-line skill offensively, ability to get to the rim. They shot the ball well so far well as a team.

“A lot of that’s Darin Green. He’s been on fire so far this season. But this is a team that’s struggled so far this year but not a team that’s not good. They’re good. They’re talented. I think they’re still trying to figure out how to play with each other, the same way we are in some ways. I look at as a very dangerous opponent. I would imagine they feel like their backs are against the wall a little bit, a rivalry game. I would expect we’ll see a good performance from them (Friday) night.”

After opening the season with three straight home games, Florida will go more than two weeks without playing in the O’Dome. Following the trip to FSU, the Gators travel to Portland for the Phil Knight Invitational, where they will face Xavier on Nov. 24.

“I’m certainly excited,” Golden said. “For us to be able to get on the bus for the first time besides the Jacksonville scrimmage where we’re all together getting on the road in a rivalry game for what I would imagine is a very good atmosphere. Both teams are going to fight like hell to win this game and it’s why you want to be at a place like Florida.

“And then going out to Portland next week, being a part of the PK85, it’s going to be an incredible event. We’re going to open up with Xavier there and have opportunities to play some really good clubs. We have a great group of guys and our staff really enjoys spending time with them and being around them. This is an opportunity to be around them and get even closer and be tighter off the court as off the court.”

Reeves added, “I look forward to it a lot. It’s going to be our first real challenge. It ain’t like we lost and have another home game. We lost and then we gotta go get a win on the road versus our rival school. And then go straight to the PK Invitational, which is tough competition. Xavier and all those big schools. So, I think it’s going to be a good test to see how tight knit we are, which I think we’re going to pass.”