The Arkansas Razorbacks (9-6, 0-2 SEC) are looking to bounce back from their first true road loss of the season as they prepare to take on the Florida Gators (10-5, 0-2 SEC) in Gainesville, Florida, on Saturday.
Led by second-year head coach Todd Golden, the Gators are off to an average start to the 2023-24 season. Florida owns wins over programs like Florida State, Pittsburgh and Michigan.
"Yeah I mean Florida is a team that can win the SEC. I don’t know what their results were tonight, which is irrelevant because I know how good of a coach Todd Golden is," Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said on Wednesday. "I’ve known him for a long time. Not often do coaches have camaraderie. I actually talked to Todd earlier today."
Leading the Gators is junior guard Walter Clayton Jr. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Florida native is averaging 16.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 34.4% from beyond the arch.
"They’re big, they rebound, they have great guard play, they’re well-connected, they play extremely hard, they play very very fast," Musselman said. "You know, they’re one of the top tier teams in the SEC, there’s no question. They have an opportunity… They’re not just an NCAA Tournament team, they’re a team that can win games in the tournament for sure."
KenPom ranks Florida 44th overall nationally and the Gators are also 34th in offensive efficiency through 15 games.
Here's a closer comparison of Arkansas' and Florida's stats, efficiency ratings, projected lineup for the Gators and more ahead of Saturday's game, which is set to tipoff at 3:00 p.m. CT on ESPN:
