Men’s basketball (3-5) host recently ranked No. 24 Florida on Thursday at 7 p.m. in an NIT first-round rematch. In the last meeting, the Ospreys were soundly defeated 97-68 by the Gators to end its season, only one game in the postseason.
The Gators (6-1) are coming off of victories over Seton Hall and Miami during the Thanksgiving Break with their only loss to No. 10 Gonzaga in the same week.
North Florida is looking to bounce back after going one of three during the Thanksgiving break in Ohio. The Ospreys are 0-5 against the Gators.
There will be several players to watch for in this matchup. This season, Florida has had five different players lead the team in scoring.
Sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen is the Gators’ most consistent scorer, with an average of 14.2 points a game.
Against Miami, redshirt freshman Keith Stone came off of the bench and racked up a game-high 15 points. Before that game, Stone had been quiet on the scoring front for the Gators.
Guard Kasey Hill, who played with Dallas Moore before going to Florida, has been the senior presence this season for the Gators. The Ospreys will need to keep him off of the free throw after his 8 of 10 performance against Miami.
The Gators also have John Egbunu standing at 6 feet 11 inches tall in the center. The redshirt junior had a total of 12 blocks with four in the last three contests.
For the Ospreys, senior guard Dallas Moore leads the team in scoring on a nightly basis. Moore posted 22.7 points a game in the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic over the break.
Three-point specialist Aaron Bodager and freshman threat Wajid Aminu both scored 14 points in the 75-67 loss against Wright State. Aminu also brought in 7 rebounds for the night.
Senior forward Chris Davenport reeled in 7 rebounds of his own with 6 on the defensive glass. His ability to pull in the basketball can lead to the Ospreys converting on the other end of the court.
North Florida will need to maintain a quick but clean tempo, minimize its turnovers and convert when at the free throw line to stay paced with the Gators.
Tickets are still available in the upper-level sections for general and reserved seating.
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