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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Guard Chris Chiozza was named First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team on Tuesday. </p>

Guard Chris Chiozza was named First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team on Tuesday. 

Florida men’s basketball coach Mike White hears the criticism.

But frankly, he doesn’t care.

alligatorSports Podcast: 2018 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament Edition

Alligator sports editor Dylan Dixon is joined by assistant sports editor Jake Dreilinger and sports writers Ethan Bauer, Andrew Huang and Benjamin Brandt as they preview UF's expectations ahead of the 2018 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament.

After UF got off to a torrid offensive start this fall, averaging 99.5 points in its first six games, it fell back down to earth in the final three months of the regular season, averaging 70.6 points.

Fans haven’t hesitated from reminding Gators players of the strong scoring attack they displayed in November.

“All the noise that our guys hear is, ‘Well, you guys were so good then,’” White said.

However, with SEC Tournament play kicking off for Florida on Friday with a matchup against Arkansas at 9 p.m. in St. Louis, Missouri, White believes his team is right where it needs to be.

In Florida’s final three games of the regular season — wins against Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky — the Gators limited their opponents to 61.7 points per game. If they held that average for the entire season, they would have ranked fourth in the NCAA in scoring defense.

And with a tough matchup on Friday against a Razorbacks offense that ranked second in the SEC in scoring, the Gators are hoping to continue their solid defensive play.

“I think as long as we defend the whole 40 minutes, we have a good chance at doing whatever we want to do in this last month here,” guard Chris Chiozza said.

The last time Florida and Arkansas met on Jan. 17 in Gainesville, UF won 88-73 in a game that saw guards Jalen Hudson and KeVaughn Allen combine for 49 points.

Razorbacks guard Jaylen Barford put up 28 points in that contest and figures to be a focal point again.

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The Jackson, Tennessee, native led Arkansas to a 69-64 second-round win over South Carolina on Thursday with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Guards Daryl Macon and Anton Beard also dropped 12 and seven points, respectively, after taking eight shots each from the free-throw line.

However, one of the Razorbacks’ weaknesses is their presence on the glass. Arkansas ranks 12th in the SEC with 34.8 rebounds per game.

Thursday’s matchup with South Carolina was no different. Despite winning the contest, the Razorbacks only collected 29 rebounds compared to the Gamecocks’ 42.

Arkansas also allowed 18 offensive rebounds, something it’ll look to avoid in Friday’s rematch with the Gators.

“That’s the only stat I’m really disappointed,” Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. “I know Florida is one of those teams that although they don’t have size, they’re very athletic. We need to continue to play good basketball.”

Follow Jake Dreilinger on Twitter @DreilingerJake and contact him at jdreilinger@alligator.org.

Guard Chris Chiozza was named First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team on Tuesday. 

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