Florida Gators Set to Face Michigan in 2023-24 Jumpman Invitational
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College basketball’s Jumpman Invitational is back in 2023-24.
Just one year removed from the inaugural meeting of the four programs in college basketball that don the Jordan logo on their uniforms, the Florida Gators will return to the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., to take on the Michigan Wolverines in December.
Both the men’s and women’s programs are set to compete, taking the hardwood on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20, respectively, the University announced on Wednesday.
In 2022-23, Florida hit the road to Charlotte amid a troubling skid of contests to take on the Oklahoma Sooners in late December.
The string of losses continued for the Gators as they shot just 32.8% from the floor, including 9.1% from three, while squandering a 10-point first-half lead with just over five minutes left in the period to open the door for the Sooners to seal the deal in the second half.
Only center Colin Castleton (22) and guard Trey Bonham (14) scored in double digits for UF. The other five players to record a basket combined for just 17 points, a testament to the team’s scoring woes.
Sooners’ guard Grant Sherfield’s 22 points elevated Porter Moser’s unit above the Gators in the end, securing OU a 62-53 victory to move them to 9-3 on the season. Florida, consequently, dropped to 7-5.
Kelly Rae Finley’s squad fell to the Sooners, 95-79.
Gators guard KK Deans’ inspired 28-point performance — supplemented by 16-and 15-point showings from Ra Shaya Kyle and Nina Richards — Oklahoma’s 42.9% from the field and from three (12-for-28) proved too much for Florida to overcome.
UF dropped to 11-2 on the year with the loss, commencing a downward spiral that resulted in a 19-15 (5-11 SEC) finish one year removed from an NCAA Tournament berth.
Now, both Gators teams will boast a vastly reconstructed from a season ago personnel-wise looking for reconciliation on the Jumpman stage against Michigan this winter.
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