The Gators are rolling hard again in the non-conference schedule with today's game against No. 6 Kansas State at the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise.
Florida played fairly well against Ohio State earlier this season, before getting manhandled in the final 10 minutes. That same sequence is possible again today. K-State guard Jacob Pullen is surely licking his chops for the chance to match up against Kenny Boynton and/or Erving Walker. While the two Florida guards are UF's leading scorers, neither inspires much confidence. Boynton is 7-31 from the field in three December games. Walker is scoring, but not distributing the ball enough.
K-State has problems with turnovers and free-throw shooting, with 16 turns per game and under just over 50 percent at the line. If UF plays some defense and matches the Wildcats physicality, they can win. With that in mind, Vernon Macklin has to continue his maturation and knock some people around in the painted area. Macklin scores and can dominate when he isn't in foul trouble. Alex Tyus, after his stinker against UCF, is playing well. But if he thinks he is an NBA-guy, it is in games like this that he needs to excel.