Scouting Report: Florida Gators

It just means more. The cheesy Southeastern Conference tagline gets thrown around a lot across all sports. However, it rings true this time of year.

Not only do the games mean significantly more, but they also get significantly tougher. Kentucky plays a strong non-conference schedule, but it is the twice-a-week grind of conference play that sets it apart from anything else. For the rest of the basketball season, it is all about putting Ws in the win column by any means necessary. All wins are good wins from here on out and you can’t take any of them for granted. The Wildcats’ first test won’t be an easy one as they travel to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators. You can rest assured that the O’Connell Center will be rocking at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

Year one was admittedly a bit of a disappointment for Coach Todd Golden at Florida. One of the most respected up-and-coming young coaches in the country went just 16-17 as the Gators missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. So far at least it appears year two will mark a return to the Big Dance.

The Gators are one of the few teams in college basketball this season that are playing faster than the Wildcats. That style of play fits well as they start two excellent playmakers in the backcourt and feature mobile forwards. This group is vastly improved offensively compared to last season’s product. However, it has come with a step back on the defensive end of the floor. Still, Florida is 10-3 to start the year and have won six straight dating back to November.

As always, we have prepared a full, in-depth scouting report for Kentucky’s next opponent. We will take a deep dive into the Gators’ personnel, break down their offensive and defensive schemes, and highlight the keys to the game for the ‘Cats. Let’s dive in and get to know more about the Florida Gators.

Florida Gators Personnel

Starters

#1 Walter Clayton Jr.: 6’3″ 195 lbs, Junior Guard

15.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.3 apg

Playmaking point guard. Shares primary ball-handling responsibilities with #0 Pullin. Shooter! No 3s! Half of his shots have been 3′. Making two 3s per game. Get OVER the ballscreens and handoffs. CHASE off of downscreens and get OVER the flares. Be very willing to SWITCH anytime there is too much space. When you switch you are switching out to take him away from 3. Very good right-hand driver off of the ballscreens. We have to go over, but we need to corral him at the point of the screen. Fight hard to get back in front. Most aggressive offensive player. He is going to push it hard in transition. Protect the basket and get the ball stopped. If you help do so aggressively to take it off of him. Nearly three turnovers per game. Contest everything.

#0 Zyon Pullin: 6’4″ 206 lbs, Graduate Student Guard

14.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.0 apg

Playmaking point guard. Shares primary ball handling responsibilities with #1 Clayton Jr. Very capable shooter, but more aggressive as a right-hand driver. Will get all the way to the rim, especially when he is driving it right. Big and physical. Likes to shoot the pull-up jump shot as well. Give all of them a hard contest. More likely to shoot the pull-up or pass it going to his left. Do not over help. He is an excellent passer. 50 assists with just 13 turnovers in 10 games. We would rather make him finish a contested 2 than help and let him find the open man. He is shooting a higher percentage from 3 than he is from 2. You can start the game by hoping underneath the ballscreens and handoffs. We will adjust if he makes a couple. Stay between him and the basket.

#5 Will Richard: 6’4″ 206 lbs, Junior Guard

11.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.3 apg

SHOOTER!!! NO 3s!!! 67 of 114 shots have been 3s. Shooting 38.8% from 3. You need to be tight to him at all times to take away the catch-and-shoot 3s. Get OVER the ballscreens and handoffs. CHASE off of downscreens and get OVER the flares. Be very willing to SWITCH anytime there is too much space. When you switch you are switching out to take him away from 3. Absolutely no help off of him. Tighten up to him as the ball is driven towards you. Find him in transition and pick him up early. Pressure him out on the perimeter. If he isn’t dribbling you aren’t close enough. Not super comfortable handling it. Wants to shoot jump shots. 17 assists, 19 turnovers. Contest all of his pull-up jump shots. Crashes the offensive glass. Box out. No 3s!!!

#4 Tyrese Samuel: 6’10” 239 lbs, Graduate Student Forward

14.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.8 apg

Super physical 4-man. Looking to score everything around the basket. Will ballscreen or handoff and roll to the basket within their ballscreen continuity offense. Capable of catching it and driving it right. No right-hand drives!!! Good operating out of the short roll where he can use his athleticism and strength. Be ready for him to drive it at you to his right. Be physical. Stay down, wall up, and make him score over you. Right hand, left shoulder in the post. You need to be physical and get him off of the block. His percentages will go down the further off of the block you make him catch it. Will face up and use a spin move to try and get around you. Always coming back right. Pick your spots to come take it off of him. 24 assists, 25 turnovers. Elite offensive rebounder. Box out!!!

#3 Micah Handlogten: 7’1″ 235 lbs, Sophomore Center

6.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 0.7 apg

Tall, mobile 5-man. Runs the floor hard in transition. Don’t let him beat you on the rim run. Will ballscreen or handoff and roll to the basket within their ballscreen continuity offense. Need to stay lower than him on the roll while corralling the ball. Stunt and fake at the ball handler while continuing to give ground. Play with your hands up to deter the lob. Don’t help up off of him at the rim and give up an easy dunk. Doesn’t want the game to be physical inside. Be physical and get him off of the block. Right hand, left shoulder in the post. He is 4-5 from 3, but you can close out short to begin the game. We will adjust if he makes a couple. Pressure him if he catches it on the perimeter. Likes to throw the high-low to #4 Samuel. Elite offensive rebounder. Box out!!!

Bench

#2 Riley Kugel: 6’5″ 207 lbs, Sophomore Guard

11.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg

Super athletic, talented wing. Has not shot a good percentage this season. Very willing shooter, but shooting just 25% from 3. Still need to be there to give a hard contest to the obvious catch-and-shoot 3s. More dangerous as a right-hand driver. No right-hand drives! Looking to attack closeouts in a straight line to his right hand from the perimeter. Need to close out with high hands and choppy feet, then bounce back and be ready to guard the right-hand drive after taking away the initial catch-and-shoot. They will throw it ahead to him to attack in transition. Look for opportunities to come take it off of him when he is driving right. Not thinking about passing. 24 assists, 34 turnovers. Be physical and make him score over you. No right-hand drives.

#21 Alex Condon: 6’11” 230 lbs, Freshman Forward/Center

8.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.3 apg

Backup forward that will come in to play the 5. Mobile for his size. Runs the floor well in transition. Don’t get beat on the rim-run. Very skilled around the basket. They will throw it to him on the roll or in the post. Need to stay lower than him on the roll. Right hand, left shoulder in the post. Be physical and get him off of the block. His percentages will go down the further off of the block you make him catch it. He loves to use the shot fake and step through inside. Always shot faking and pivoting around to finish past you. Stay down, wall up, and make him score over you. Very good footwork. No quick drop steps. Not very comfortable handling it. Look for opportunities to come take it off of him. 17 assists, 23 turnovers. Excellent offensive rebound. Box out.

#10 Thomas Haugh: 6’9″ 210 lbs, Freshman Forward

4.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 0.8 apg

Backup forward. Skilled out on the perimeter. Capable shooter. Will look to pick-and-pop some. 6-17 from 3. You need to be there to give a hard contest to the obvious catch-and-shoot 3s. When you take away the catch-and-shoot 3s he will look to drive it right. No right-hand drives. Close out with high hands and choppy feet and then bounce back to guard against the drive. Right hand, left shoulder in the post. Be physical and get him off of the block. His percentages will go down the further off of the block you make him catch it. Stay down, wall up, and make him score over you. Will shoot the trail spot 3 in transition. Get out and take him away. Very good offensive rebounder. Box out.

Florida Gators Offense

In year one under Coach Todd Golden the Florida Gators really struggled on the offensive end of the floor. Their defense was good enough to beat a lot of people, but they just couldn’t put the ball in the basket. They ranked 313th in three-point shooting at 31.4% and ranked even lower in offensive rebounding. However, this season, they’ve done a bit of a 180-degree turn.

Their 33.7% mark from beyond the arc still isn’t great, but it is much better. Then, in terms of rebounding, they now rank fifth nationally grabbing 41.3% of their own misses. Florida sets a ton of ballscreens in the half court and will get to some set plays out of a Horns alignment, but they are looking to attack in transition first and foremost. The Gators are going to come at you in a hurry.

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The Florida Gators base offense in the half court is this ballscreen/handoff continuity. They start with an Iverson cut over the top and will keep their opposite forward lifted to shoot from the top of the key, look high-low, or reverse the ball. We are okay with hoping underneath the ballscreens to start the game when guarding #0 Pullin. That should keep us between him and the basket and in a better position to contest, or even take away, the pull-up jump shots. If you do get hung up on the ballscreen you need more urgency to get back in front of him.

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Urgency and effort are going to be the buzzwords on Saturday afternoon when it comes to guarding the Florida Gators. They have really good guards that are going to win several possessions on their own. However, we can’t afford to make it easier on them than it should be. They set a ton of ballscreens in the half court and you have to be ready to fight your way back in front of the ball consistently. That will not only keep them from getting all the way to the rim but it also will limit the need to help for a prolonged period. In this clip you see the defender get stuck on #0 Pullin’s hip and it allows #10 Haugh to stand wide open at the top of the key for a 3.

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Switching is always an option when guarding the ballscreens, but you really shouldn’t need to switch ones as you see on the left wing in this clip. Use switching as the fail-safe if one gets on you quickly or if there is too much space. Also, we want to hop underneath on #0 Pullin which should keep us from having to switch and create a mismatch for #4 Samuel inside. The Gators are good at looking for the high-low pass when they lift their opposite post within their ballscreen/handoff continuity.

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When you are guarding #5 Richard the only responsibility you have is taking him away from 3. You need to be tight to him at all times. What you see defensively from Michigan in this clip is the lack of concentration and urgency that will get us beat in Gainesville. After Richard handed off on the wing his defender lost concentration and quickly got burned. Again, you have to be TIGHT to him at all times.

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Coach Golden will go to some called set plays in the half court and most of them will begin from a Horns alignment. On this possession, they get to a Zoom Action for #0 Pullin who is almost coming off of the handoff vertically. That is a great way to force the defender up through the screen to create separation. This is a good example of where we would like to just switch the handoff because there is too much space.

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#10 Haugh is a competent pick-and-pop threat when he comes in at the 4. This is where you need to know your personnel and make smart, high-IQ defensive decisions. Again, we want to hop underneath the ballscreens set for #0 Pullin. Also, he isn’t nearly as dangerous going to his left as he is to his right. There is already plenty of help over there as well so you should be able to stay home and recover to the pop quicker.

Florida Gators Defense

The Florida Gators have experienced an identity shift from a year ago. Last season they were excellent defensively but not very good offensively. However, now they are explosive offensively but lacking on the defensive end of the floor.

Per Synergy, the Gators have played man-to-man on all 983 defensive possessions this season. They have been very good at protecting the rim with a 12.7% block rate which ranks 38th nationally and hold opponents to just 44.3% shooting from 2 which is 27th in the country. Where they have struggled though is out on the perimeter. Florida doesn’t force turnovers and allows opponents to shoot 34.1% from three-point range. Those two areas should play right into the hands of Kentucky who is among the best at not turning it over and shooting from beyond the arc.

Keys to the Game

• Contain the drive on ballscreens. The Florida Gators set a lot of ballscreens and generally have two true point guards in the game. We have to do a great job of containing the dribble without over-helping. Make it hard on #1 Clayton Jr. and #0 Pullin.
• Transition defense. Florida is one of the few teams that play even faster offensively than Kentucky. Protect the basket, stop the ball, matchup beginning with the next most dangerous guy. The best way to slow down the Gators is by scoring.
• Rebound!!! This one is going to be tough. The Gators rank fifth nationally in offensive rebounding percentage. Kentucky simply cannot get demolished on the offensive glass. 75% or better defensive rebounding percentage.
• Shoot 75% or better from the free throw line.