Florida vs. Richmond: Preview, Prediction, Odds, Where to Watch and More

Photo: Florida head coach Todd Golden; Credit: Zach Goodall

After snapping a two-game losing skid on Tuesday with a 20-point win over Merrimack, Florida (5-3) returns to the hardwood on Saturday in Sunrise, Fla., for the Orange Bowl Classic inside Amerant Bank Arena against the Richmond Spiders (5-4).

Florida aims to continue regaining its early-season form against Chris Mooney's squad, which has played several Power Six programs tightly in the first month of the season.

You can find an in-depth rundown and everything else you need to know about the matchup before tip-off below.

Florida Gators (5-3) vs. Richmond Spiders (5-4)

Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Fla.

When: Saturday, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. ET

Watch: SEC Network

Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD | SiriusXM 388 & SXM App

Odds: Florida is an 8.5-point favorite over Richmond, according to SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the contest is set at 151.1 points.

Series history: The Gators hold a 3-2 record against the Spiders all-time. In the most recent meeting between the programs on Dec. 1, 2015, Florida prevailed over Richmond, 76-56.

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The rundown

Despite taking on a mid-major opponent, Saturday is expected to be a challenge for the Gators, given the well-established nature and fundamentally sound program under Chris Mooney.

Richmond is an offensive-led program known for its longtime operation of a Princeton scheme. Working mainly out of a two-man pick-and-roll at the top of the key, the Spiders lean heavily on the guard-center duo of Jordan King and Neal Quinn to create within the attack.

Gators head coach Todd Golden highlighted the duo when offering his synopsis of Richmond on Thursday during media availability.

"Neal Quinn, their center, has done a great job this year," Golden said. "He's taken a jump. He's averaging about 14.5 a game. Really physical. Doing a great job putting in tough shots around the basket.

"And Quinn is obviously a tricky cover for us because we don't like to double the post a lot. But he's a guy that if you don't show another body or dig down on he can really dribble and get to his spots. He can be effective that way if we let him get too comfortable."

Quinn is a multi-dimensional big man who can score, facilitate, rebound and defend. He leads the team in assists at 3.2 per game and rebounds at 6.2.

"And then their guard, Jordan King, has been fantastic filling it up this year. He had an off night last night (at Northern Iowa), shooting 0-for-5 from 3, but going into that game, he was 25 of 50 from 3 and making almost every shot he was putting up. He's a threat. A guy we're really mindful of. We have to do a really good job of kind of containing his opportunities and his attempts."

King's averaging 20.9 points per game on 50.7% from the field and 45.5% from three on the year.

The duo has aided Richmond considerably against the Power Six opponents it has faced in 2023-24, as they've remained within single digits against the likes of Boston College and Colorado despite ultimately falling short of victory.

It elicits open shots inside at the rim and on the perimeter consistently. The Spiders have capitalized on the good looks through nine games, knocking down nearly 50% of their attempts from the floor and just under 37% of their three-point shots.

Florida will be stretched to close out on shooter from deep as a result. It's struggled to do so at times in the early out-of-conference slate.

Golden continued to praise Richmond's operation under Mooney.

"They have a very unique style in terms of playing out of a lot of Princeton actions that we ran last year," Golden said frankly.

"So far, I think, they've been top-five in America in terms of their turnover rate. They're a very effective field goal team. They don't crash the glass very aggressively and haven't been getting fouled a lot, so they've got to make some shots, but they do a good job of getting good shots every time down."

Richmond is rated as No. 79 in adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom.

On the other end of the floor, the Spiders aren't "the most athletic team" Florida will face, according to Golden, but present some trouble given the inside-out approach the coach expects to draw from the unit.

"I feel they do a very good job playing positional defense," he continued. "Similar to Wake Forest, the way they guarded us inside-out. I think we've got to be prepared for that."

The Gators will have an advantage in variety, though, with a litany of scoring options in the backcourt and frontcourt at their disposal. Four UF players are averaging double-digit points per game.

However, the tale of the tape may expand beyond the mere offensive and defensive aptness. The clash of drastically contrasting desired tempos will play an equally critical part in deciding the outcome.

Florida is one of the fastest attacks in college basketball, ranking No. 20 in adjusted tempo per KenPom. The Gators strive to utilize its deep, talented, athletic roster to run in transition and speed up the pace to produce more possessions.

Conversely, Richmond is ranked No. 278 in tempo and attempts to slow the game down and force opposing teams to operate in half-court sets. Offensively, the slower pace allows the Spiders to wear down opposing teams with the array of cuts, passes and screens deployed within the Princeton-style offense.

As a result, both teams will look to dictate the tempo from the tip. Whichever unit controls the game in that facet will put itself in a promising position to take home an Orange Bowl Classic victory.

Brandon's Prediction (2-1): Florida 86, Richmond 71

Richmond provides a sneaky opposition for a Gators squad that has realized considerable peaks and troughs defensively at points early in the 2023-24 campaign.

Operating the uber-sound Princeton-style offense, the Spiders are adept in scheming up open looks around the basket via top-of-the-key pick-and-rolls, and the bigs can find open shooters beyond the three-point arc. Their aforementioned 49.8% field goal percentage and 36.8% mark from beyond the arc illustrate the unit's impressive offensive fortitude.

But, while I think the Spiders will score frequently in the first half — remaining close with the Gators for an extended portion of the contest as they did against Boston College and Colorado — Florida's backcourt trio of Walter Clayton Jr., Riley Kugel and Zyon Pullin will prove too skilled for the Spiders.

I expect a high-scoring affair between the two Kenpom Top 90 teams. If you're a betting man or woman, take the over.

And, while Florida is currently just 2-6 against the spread this season, the Gators look to bolster their out-of-conference resume — with just one team ranked inside the NET 100 remaining on the slate — by producing lopsided victories over eventual bubble-bursting opponents like Richmond will be critical.

I think Todd Golden's unit, on the back of its guard play and a fast-paced, transition-led scoring attack, feeds off its second-half surge against Merrimack to stifle Richmond's offense in the second and pull away for a respectable 15-point win.

Florida leaves Sunrise as the victor, 86-71.

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