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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Billy Donovan looks down the court during Florida's 75-55 win against Auburn on Jan. 15 in the O'Connell Center.</p>

Billy Donovan looks down the court during Florida's 75-55 win against Auburn on Jan. 15 in the O'Connell Center.

After Florida opened up Southeastern Conference play with three straight wins, Eli Carter thought the Gators were alright.

But once coach Billy Donovan got wind of this theory, he made it very clear to Carter that the Gators are far from where they need to be.

"This group is never alright," Donovan said. "Never. Ever. Ever. They are not. They are alright when I can see them do it day in and day out and they really, really struggle in that area."

That area is consistency, but Donovan will be the first to say the team’s struggles can often change from one day to the next with this group.

And with Florida (10-9, 3-3 SEC) facing off against Alabama (13-6, 3-3 SEC) tonight at 9 in Tuscaloosa, the Gators are still trying to find themselves.

Though Donovan and his team had not looked too closely at Alabama as of Monday morning, he said he expects the Crimson Tide to be a much deeper and more balanced team than the ones Florida has won its last nine games against.

"So much of their team last year went through (Trevor) Releford. He was a terrific player for them. But (Jimmie) Taylor is a year older. (Ricky) Tarrant was sitting out a year. (Shannon) Hale is a year older. (Rodney) Cooper has been there. And obviously Levi Randolph is having a phenomenal year," Donovan said. "They’ve gotten some good production from some young guys, but their veteran guys have gotten better."

The Crimson Tide will be led by Donovan’s former assistant coach Anthony Grant, who is in his sixth season at Alabama.

Donovan has only sustained two losses in the 16 times he’s coached against former assistant coaches.

With two seniors, two sophomores and a junior projected as starters against Florida, the Crimson Tide has some flexibility and versatility stacked into its experienced roster.

Florida hasn’t lost to Alabama since the 2008 SEC tournament, but Donovan isn’t ruling out any possibilities for tonight.

When the Gators faced and defeated Alabama twice last year, Florida was working with a much deeper roster that could cover up its younger players’ weaknesses and inconsistencies. Now those are all laid out on the table, exposed for the world to see. So while some may be surprised by Florida’s recent downward trajectory, Donovan is not.

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"You know when you have some of those guys back and you see some of the inconsistencies that are totally covered up because of some really experienced senior veteran guys, that’s what people missed on our team going into this season," Donovan said of Florida’s returning players. "So to me probably my frustration level with them is not high because I’m not surprised by any of this."

 Follow Erica A. Hernandez on Twitter @EricaAlyssa

Billy Donovan looks down the court during Florida's 75-55 win against Auburn on Jan. 15 in the O'Connell Center.

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