Game Preview: Longhorns looking for second SEC win as they face No. 5 Florida on Saturday

Texas heads east to Gainesville, Florida to take on the fifth-ranked Florida Gators on Saturday. Todd Golden’s team has one of the top offenses in the country and they are another example of how good the Southeastern Conference is in basketball this season.

Florida boasts an impressive 15-2 record overall, but they are just 2-2 in conference play. One of those losses includes a 106-100 defeat to Kentucky – a game in which scoring 100 points simply was not enough against the blue blood Wildcats. That level of scoring is typically good enough to win most games.

The Longhorns are coming off of their first SEC victory, defeating rival Oklahoma 77-73 on Wednesday night in Norman. The Texas offense has been up-and-down throughout the season, but especially so in conference play. Against the Sooners Texas scored 43 points in the first half and jumped out to a 23-point lead early in the second half. After that they struggled to score and Oklahoma trimmed the score to 75-73 with 15 seconds remaining. Should the Longhorns have a similar offensive drought against a team like Florida, they could lose by a substantial margin.

Assist to Turnover Ratio will Be Important

The assist-to-turnover ratio is always important in basketball, but good teams can overcome high turnover games. A large reason for the 1-3 start to SEC play for Texas is they are averaging just 8.75 assists to 10.75 turnovers per game. That effort will not get it done against most teams, much less a top 5 team in Florida on the road. The Longhorns need to increase their assists per game dramatically. There is too much ball watching on offense and if that is not resolved, it will be a long season for Rodney Terry and company.

The Gators conversely average 13 assists to 11 turnovers in conference play. While that could be better, it is still positive and shows Floirida is moving the ball. The only game in which they had more turnovers than assists was against Missouri in Tuesday’s 83-82 loss.

Rebounding Differential is Vital

The rebounding battle will be important in determining who wins Saturday’s game in Gainesville. Florida currently averages 45 rebounds per game compared to 35 for Texas. The Longhorns simply cannot be dominated on the glass or they have virtually no chance. Additionally forwards Arthur Kaluma and Kadin Shedrick need to stay out of foul trouble. Should Texas lose the front court battle, they will have to win in a shootout with Florida. That is a difficult task, as Florida can score with the best of them.

Despite the challenges in the matchup, a win could turn around the Longhorns’ season. A loss would drop them to 1-4 in the SEC with the next three consecutive games coming against likely ranked teams.