Florida Basketball Preview 2021
Our Florida basketball preview 2021 - 22 observes that in last year’s NCAA Tournament the Gators lost in a major upset to Oral Roberts in the Round of 32. It was a huge blow. The 2020-21 Florida Gators (15-10 Overall, 9-7 SEC) were a good team with some solid starters. Finishing eighth in what is a very tough conference no one thought they’d exit the tournament in the second round to an major underdog. But they did, and with that loss the transformation began as seven players exited from the program. Head coach Mike White (123-75 Florida/6 years, 224-115 Overall/10 years) went into high gear and started finding quality replacements quickly. Still, this version of the Gators must attempt to recover from losing stars like Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann.
Gators Frontcourt
One thing is certain, junior Colin Castleton decided not to declare for the draft and is back. One thing that’s not certain is the state of Keyontae Johnson’s health. Johnson’s health scare in the fourth game of last season took him out of circulation for the rest of the year. The forward was off to an amazing start, hitting 64.1 percent of his twos and 42.9 percent of his threes while averaging 16.0 PPG and 4.5 RPG. Counterpart Castleton, who started 21 games, averaged 12.4 PPG and 6.4 RPG. He shot 59.7 percent. If Johnson can play, this duo will be unstoppable. Our Florida basketball preview 2021 - 22 notes that Boston College transfer CJ Felder joins the frontcourt. Felder is a tenacious rebounder and fearsome shot blocker. Also returning is Anthony Duruji. He can drive to the basket, go airborne, and score.
Florida Basketball Preview – Backcourt
Penn State transfer Myreon Jones and returning junior goard Tyree Appleby are focused on making up for Mann’s (NBA) and Noah Locke’s (Louisville) departures. Both are sharpshooters who can score in bunches. However, both also need to protect the ball better and dish off when they don’t have a solid shooting opportunity. Other transfers include double-double threat Phlandrous Fleming Jr (Charleston Southern) and Summit Conference Defensive Player of the Year and major scoring threat Brandon McKissic (UM Kansas City).
Florida Basketball Preview 2021 – Final Word
White has put together a good team, which should be able to make up for some of the losses due to departures. However, much of the Gators success hangs on Johnson’s health as well as the dependability and flexibility of the various transfers. Our Florida basketball preview 2021 - 22 notes that the Gators have a lot of adjusting to do in order to truly be competitive in the SEC. But if they can make those adjustments, and if players can step up, this could be a memorable season of renewal.
SEC - Florida Rankings & Projections 2021
AP Top 25 Preseason Poll Ranking: None
NCAA Men's Basketball NET Ranking: 34
SEC Finish: 8
Postseason Tournament: NCAA First Four