Chance to Rebound for No. 5 Florida Gators vs. Texas Longhorns

After a disappointing loss to Missouri, the Florida Gators look to climb back into the win column when they welcome Texas to Gainesville on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. EST. The game will be shown on ESPN2.

UF played one of their worst offensive games of the season in the 83-82 loss to the Tigers.

Although the team scored 82 points, the manner in which Mizzou handled them raised several red flags. Now an unranked, but desperate Longhorns squad looks for their first conference win of the season, hoping to snap a three-game slide. While winless in the SEC, Florida cannot take UT for granted and count this game before the final buzzer sounds.

Ball Security

Against Missouri, Florida endured a night where the opposition, combined with their own mistakes, lost the game. With only nine assists, you can see a lack of quality ball movement that allowed the Tigers to jump out to a 16-point halftime lead. Instead of the ball flowing around the horn, it became stagnant. Mizzou forced 13 turnovers.

Florida's offense looked disjointed and choppy through the entire 40 minutes. Texas plays with a similar defensive intensity, and they could conceivably win by more if UF does not quickly fix these issues. When the offense clicks, you see the ball move better, faster and crisper, allowing for better shot opportunities.

Texas Three Step

Most of the Texas offense flows through their leading scorers, but with a twist. Freshman Tre Johnson leads the team with 18.9 points per game. Johnson will bring a multi-faceted offensive approach to the O'Connell Center.

OH MY TRE JOHNSON...AGAIN🤯🤘#HookEm | @iamtrejohnson1 pic.twitter.com/J3sBw0BsRe
— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) January 12, 2025

First, he can slash to the basket, cashing in and around the paint. Next, the Garland, Texas native will look to step beyond the arc, connecting on 41.1% of his three-point attempts. Lastly, if UF fouled the freshman, he will make 85% of his free throws.

To keep the Texas metaphors flying, power forward Arthur Kaluma is the steak to Johnson's sizzle. Kaluma mostly operates in the paint with a 53.9% shooting percentage. However, the senior can also take his defender away from the basket, hitting on his threes at a .489 clip. Away from scoring, Kaluma averages 8.2 rebounds, complemented by a steal and a block every outing.

Arthur Kaluma has been the best player on the floor for this Texas Longhorns basketball team. https://t.co/fg1lyrExYP pic.twitter.com/Khhg3ZXe9f
— BKS Sports (@BKSecretsports) November 22, 2024

Junior guard Jordan Pope takes just nine shots a night, but with 12 points per, he maximizes his efforts. Pope, when hot can shoot the ball from the outside better than anyone on the squad not named Tre Johnson. He plays off Johnson and Kaluma well, creating space and balance, preventing teams from crashing to one area of the court.

Overview

The Mizzou lost should sting for the Gators. However, by the time Saturday rolls around, it needs to be nothing more than a forgotten bump on the road. Texas, as mentioned, is wholly desperate for a win and they could see their NCAA tournament hope slide out if rational thought, if they cannot stem the losing tide.

Meanwhile, for the Gators, executing the way they usually do, should pull this game out. Yet, they cannot get too far behind in games, as dramatic comebacks take everything out of a team, during a long season.