SEC Basketball Preview/Prediction: Alabama at Florida

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Alabama visits Florida on Saturday in a key SEC basketball matchup. Look inside for a preview of the game along with a prediction of the game’s final score.

By 14Powers Hoops

Team Statistical Comparison

	FG%	3PT%	FT%	ORB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
Alabama	0.447	0.337	0.674	328	1123	372	134	145	407
Alabama OPP	0.438	0.326	0.707	298	1028	333	185	119	363
Florida	0.422	0.338	0.724	324	1014	366	222	117	354
Florida OPP	0.422	0.316	0.685	322	1037	330	177	87	462

Statistical Leaders

Alabama Scoring Leaders

PLAYER	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
Kira Lewis Jr.	16.6	75	29	20
John Petty Jr.	16.4	63	29	42
Jaden Shackelford	13.2	48	35	27
Alex Reese	9.1	37	13	22
James Bolden	8.5	29	10	17
Herbert Jones	8.5	37	19	1
Javian Davis	8.3	34	31	0
Jaylen Forbes	2.3	9	7	3
Galin Smith	1.8	9	3	0

Alabama Rebounding Leaders

PLAYER	OR	DR	TR	RPG
John Petty Jr.	22	67	89	7.4
Kira Lewis Jr.	13	53	66	5.5
Herbert Jones	17	42	59	5.4
Alex Reese	15	46	61	5.1
Javian Davis	21	35	56	4.7
Jaden Shackelford	12	33	45	3.8
Jaylen Forbes	8	22	30	2.5
Galin Smith	10	16	26	2.2
James Bolden	11	9	20	2.0

Florida Scoring Leaders

PLAYER	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
Kerry Blackshear Jr.	14.2	47	66	10
Keyontae Johnson	13.3	62	25	10
Noah Locke	9.5	40	7	27
Andrew Nembhard	9.4	40	19	14
Scottie Lewis	8.1	30	24	5
Tre Mann	6.3	23	11	6
Ques Glover	5.4	27	6	5
Omar Payne	4.3	23	6	0

Florida Rebounding Leaders

PLAYER	OR	DR	TR	RPG
Kerry Blackshear Jr.	32	69	101	8.4
Keyontae Johnson	23	54	77	6.4
Scottie Lewis	12	34	46	4.2
Omar Payne	23	25	48	4.0
Noah Locke	3	37	40	3.3
Andrew Nembhard	1	35	36	3.0
Tre Mann	2	19	21	2.1
Ques Glover	4	10	14	1.2

NCAA RPI

Alabama: 65

Florida: 54

Alabama Roster

No.	Name	Pos.	HT	WT	Class	City-State
0	Javian Davis	F	6′-9″	242	FR	Canton, MS
1	Herbert Jones	F	6′-7″	205	JR	Greensboro, AL
2	Kira Lewis Jr.	G	6′-3″	165	SO	Meridianville, AL
3	Alex Reese	F	6′-9″	245	JR	Pelham, AL
4	Juwan Gary	F	6′-5″	215	FR	Columbia, SC
5	Jaden Shackelford	G	6′-3″	195	FR	Hesperia, CA
11	James Bolden	G	6′-0″	160	SR	Covington, KY
12	Jaylen Forbes	G	6′-4″	186	FR	Florence, MS
13	Jahvon Quinerly	G	6′-1″	175	SO	Hackensack, NJ
15	Tyler Barnes	F	6′-8″	201	JR	Louisville, KY
21	Britton Johnson	G	6′-4″	183	SO	Mountain Brook, AL
23	John Petty Jr.	G	6′-5″	184	JR	Huntsville, AL
25	Adam Cottrell	G	6′-3″	185	FR	Flowery Branch, GA
30	Galin Smith	F	6′-9″	240	JR	Clinton, MS
33	James Rojas	F	6′-8″	215	JR	Jamestown, NY
34	Sam Okauru	G	6′-5″	200	FR	Raleigh, NC
35	Raymond Hawkins	F	6′-9″	240	FR	Oakland, CA

Florida Roster

No.	Name	Pos.	HT	WT	Class	City-State
0	Ques Glover	G	5′-11″	176	FR	Knoxville, TN
1	Tre Mann	G	6′-4″	172	FR	Gainesville, FL
2	Andrew Nembhard	G	6′-5″	193	SO	Aurora, ON
3	Alex Klatsky	G	6′-3″	189	FR	Colts Neck, NJ
4	Anthony Duruji	F	6′-7″	213	JR	Germantown, MD
5	Omar Payne	F	6′-10″	223	FR	Kissimmee, FL
10	Noah Locke	G	6′-3″	207	SO	Baltimore, MD
11	Keyontae Johnson	F	6′-5″	231	SO	Norfolk, VA
12	Gorjok Gak	C	6′-11″	244	JR	Sydney, NSW
21	Dontay Bassett	F	6′-9″	236	JR	Oakland, CA
22	Tyree Appleby	G	6′-1″	163	JR	Jacksonville, AR
23	Scottie Lewis	G	6′-5″	185	FR	Hazlet, NJ
24	Kerry Blackshear Jr.	F	6′-10″	241	SR	Orlando, FL
33	Jason Jitoboh	C	6′-11″	300	FR	Chattanooga, TN

Scouting Report

Alabama 7-5 (0-0 SEC) visits Florida 8-4 (0-0 SEC) in the conference opener for both teams. The Florida Gators have played one of the more tougher non-conference schedules of all the SEC teams. They’ve gone up against UConn (loss), Miami (Fla.) (win), Xavier (win), Butler (loss), and Utah State (loss). Senior 6-foot-10 forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. is the Gator’s leading scorer (14.2 ppg) and rebounder (8.4 rpg). Three other players average nine or more points per game. Florida doesn’t shine at any particular stats SEC ranking wise. That may be because of the Gator’s more formidable schedule than other SEC teams. However, Florida is in the upper echelon of the SEC in most rebounding statistics. The Gators are also fourth in the league on 3-point shooting defense (.286) and sixth in scoring defense (62.6 ppg).

Alabama has played pretty tough schedule so far. Their best win is a recent victory over Richmond, 90-78. Although Bama hasn’t lost to any cupcakes, a 104-89 setback to Iowa State probably stings. Alabama leads the SEC in scoring offense (82.8 ppg) but is dead last in scoring defense (77.7 ppg). Guards Kira Lewis Jr.and John Petty Jr. each average over 16 points a game to lead the Crimson Tide. Alabama likes to shoot the three in bunches. They have almost as many three pointers made as free throws. Alabama has made 133 three pointers so far this season, the most in the SEC and 20 more than the second team in that statistical category. Petty Jr. is the top dog from three making over 50% with 42 made three point shots.

Florida should have the edge playing at home and conveniently the Gators are a solid three point defending team. If Alabama is red hot from three and can play a little defense, they might pull off a shocker.

Alabama-Florida Prediction

Florida 81, Alabama 78