Mizzou looked extremely good in the first contest of the SEC Tournament on Thursday, especially considering how they ended the regular season. Their win advances them to round two, where they will face the Gators.
These teams faced off earlier in January, when the Tigers pulled off a huge upset in Gainesville, winning 83-82. At the time, Mizzou was unranked, while Florida was ranked No. 5 overall.
The Gators have been nothing short of dominant this season, with the upset loss versus the Tigers representing one of few wrinkles the entire regular season.
Since their last meeting with Mizzou, Florida has gone 12-2, with all games coming within the SEC. During this stretch, they defeated No. 1 Auburn and No. 7 Alabama. This team is clearly one of the best in the country and well deserving of the double-bye.
Head coach Todd Golden, who is 40-29 in his three seasons since taking over the helm at Florida, has led the program in the right direction during his tenure.
They appeared in the NCAA Tournament last year, but were quickly bounced in the first round. This season, they look to break back into the mix and will likely hold a top seed, hoping to make a deep run in March Madness.
Their offense looks almost identical to the last time Mizzou faced this opponent, with Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin leading the charge.
Clayton leads the team in points with 17, assists with 4, and also adds 4 rebounds and 2 steals per game. Meanwhile, Martin contributes 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. He also makes an impact defensively, averaging nearly two steals per game.
This team features six players scoring in double digits, highlighting why it is one of the most productive offenses in the country. On defense, five players tally at least one steal per game.
This is one of the most well-balanced teams in the country and a challenge to take down once, let alone twice. That said, the Tigers will look to do the impossible as they aim to get hot at the right time, with the second round of the SEC Tournament beginning Friday night.
The two SEC rivals will tip off at 6 p.m. on Friday night in Nashville.