Can Florida basketball topple 'Bama again? Scouting report, prediction for SEC Tournament matchup
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ― Florida basketball is a win away from reaching the SEC Tournament finals for a second straight year.
To accomplish that goal, the No. 2 seed Florida Gators (28-4) will get another matchup against No. 3 seed Alabama (25-7) in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena (3:30 p.m., ESPN).
Alabama comes into the matchup seeking revenge after falling 99-94 to UF on March 5 in its Senior Day home finale. The Crimson Tide have won two straight since, knocking off rival Auburn 93-91, then beating Kentucky 99-70 in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday night.
"We earned the double bye, which helped us tonight," Alabama coach Nate Oats said. "Kentucky played last night. They didn't look as fresh as we did. We were able to build the lead up. "
Florida is playing to lock up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and win its first SEC Tournament title since 2014.
Here are three storylines to watch in the SEC Tournament semifinal matchup:
Can Florida basketball dictate the game physically like it did in its first meeting with the Tide?
Florida outrebounded Alabama 50-34 and outscored the Tide 19-10 in second chance points in the first meeting between the two teams, which played a a major factor in the outcome of the game.
Florida's starting frontcourt tandem of Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu combined for 21 rebounds. Condon posted a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Chinyelu had nine points and 11 boards.
"We're going to need Cliff (Omoruyi), Grant (Nelson), (Mouhamed) Dioubate, Jarin Stevenson, our front court has to be a lot better than they were last game," Oats said. "Also, our back court, to be honest with you. We just weren't very good ...
"Their physicality, we're going to have to really lock into being significantly better against them."
Which star point will step up and perform better, Florida basketball's Walter Clayton Jr. or Alabama's Mark Sears?
Sears scored 30 points against Florida on March 5 but needed to loft 24 shots to get there and went just 2 of 10 from 3-point range.
Clayton had a higher all-around impact in the first meeting between the two schools with 22 points and eight assists, finding Condon on a handful of lob dunks when the defense started to converge on him in the second half.
Can Florida basketball take care of the ball better after turning it over 16 times against Missouri?
Florida was shaky with the basketball in its SEC opening win, which allowed Missouri to make a second-half run and cut UF's 13-point halftime lead to five points with 7:02 left in the game. Clayton had five of UF's 16 turnovers.
"I take a lot of blame for that," Clayton said. "We got sped up a little bit rather than playing fast, which is our pace, but not too fast.
UF is going to need to play more under control against the Crimson Tide, because Alabama showed it can be a disruptive team on Friday night, scoring 29 points off 16 Kentucky turnovers.
"An area where we did a poor job was being organized after made baskets," Florida basketball coach Todd Golden said. "We had a couple different guys taking outlets. We weren't getting our spacing right, getting set. We had some careless and uncharacteristic turnovers. We stepped out-of-bounds twice in the corner. Back foot, one-handed passes. Things we generally do a really good job of we just didn't do a good enough job of tonight."
Prediction
Florida 97, Alabama 89: Florida will flourish and play more under control in another up-tempo game, Look for UF to take advantage of its physicality inside as well to advance for the SEC Tournament finals for the second straight year.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Storylines to watch as Florida basketball meets Alabama in SEC Tournament semifinals
Topics
-
Missouri basketball vs Florida: Scouting report, score prediction for SEC Tournament game
Here is what you need to know about Florida before Missouri basketball faces the Gators in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Rematch set. No. 4 Florida basketball gets chance for revenge vs Mizzou in SEC Tournament
Florida basketball will begin SEC Tournament play against a Missouri team that handed UF its lone home loss this seasonYahoo Sports - 1d -
What channel is Florida basketball vs Alabama in SEC Tournament on today? Time, TV odds for game
It's Florida basketball vs Alabama in the SEC Tournament semifinals. Here's how to watch, including time, channel, TV schedule and streaming info.Yahoo Sports - 5h -
Recap: Florida basketball beats Missouri Tigers in SEC Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday
Recapping Florida basketball's 95-81 win over the Missouri Tigers in the 2025 SEC Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday night in Nashville.Yahoo Sports - 11h -
2025 SEC Tournament score predictions, odds, games, free picks for March 15: Go Under in Florida-Alabama
SportsLine's proven computer model revealed its college basketball score predictions and top picks for the 2025 SEC Tournament semifinals on SaturdayCBS Sports - 41m -
Can Florida loss be Missouri basketball’s last lesson? Where MU stands after SEC Tournament
Missouri basketball's loss to Florida ended its SEC Tournament bid. Now, with the NCAA Tournament up next, have the Tigers learned the necessary lessons?Yahoo Sports - 5h -
Alabama vs. Kentucky odds, prediction: 2025 SEC Tournament quarterfinal picks, best bets by proven model
SportsLine's model just revealed its college basketball picks for the Kentucky Wildcats vs. Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday nightCBS Sports - 13h -
What I'm looking at: Florida in SEC Tournament
A scouting report, some Mizzou notes, matchups to watch and what I think will lead to a Tiger win against Florida.Yahoo Sports - 16h -
How to watch: No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 4 Florida in SEC Tournament
Here’s everything you need to nkow about Saturday’s SEC Tournament semifinal game between Alabama and Florida.Yahoo Sports - 5h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Four-star edge rusher to visit Georgia football
Georgia is set to get an official visit from elite four-star edge rusher Dre QuinnYahoo Sports - 25m -
Kristin Juszczyk posts an emotional video after Kyle Juszczyk re-signs with the 49ers
Kyle Juszczyk is back with the San Francisco 49ers and his wife Kristin celebrated on Instagram.Yahoo Sports - 27m -
Ohtani hits home run in Dodgers' Tokyo exhibition game
Shohei Ohtani fever in Tokyo reached boiling point Saturday as the Japanese baseball superstar hit a home run in his first game in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform in his home country.But it was his ...Yahoo Sports - 29m -
Porter inherits talented West Virginia RB room
West Virginia has a new running backs coach, in the experienced Larry Porter. Porter, a 27-year coaching veteran, came to Morgantown after previously serving as the running backs coach and special ...Yahoo Sports - 29m -
Mekhi Becton to Chargers: Lineman joins LA after his Super Bowl win
Mekhi Becton had his best season as a pro in 2024Yahoo Sports - 29m
More in Sports
-
Michigan State vs. Wisconsin odds, how to watch, prediction, free 2025 Big Ten Tournament semifinal picks
SportsLine's proven computer model has revealed its best bets for Wisconsin Badgers vs. Michigan State Spartans Saturday on CBS and streaming on Paramount+CBS Sports - 19m -
2025 Players Championship purse, prize money: Payouts for golfers, winner's share out of $25 million pool
The biggest prize fund of the PGA Tour's season is up for grabs this week during its signature event at TPC SawgrassCBS Sports - 21m -
UFC Fight Night odds, predictions, time, Las Vegas card: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 free picks by proven MMA expert
SportsLine's Daniel Vithlani reveals his picks for the UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 fight card from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on SaturdayCBS Sports - 23m -
Four-star edge rusher to visit Georgia football
Georgia is set to get an official visit from elite four-star edge rusher Dre QuinnYahoo Sports - 25m -
Men's Bracketology: UNC is still in, plus more updates from a busy Friday
It's going to be a weekend-long debate: North Carolina, with good metrics and few quality wins, versus Texas, which has plenty of really good wins but a so-so record.ESPN - 27m