The regular season is winding down, but there's still plenty at stake when No. 5
Florida basketball plays at No. 8 Alabama on Wednesday night (7 p.m., ESPN2). The
Florida Gators (25-4, 12-4 SEC) can secure a double bye and the No. 2 overall seed in the SEC Tournament with a win over the Crimson Tide (23-6, 12-4 SEC). The winner also will have the inside track on securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, while the loser will have work to do in next week's SEC Tournament to land a No. 1 seed. "We’re still shooting for a 1-seed and the double-bye," Florida basketball coach Todd Golden said. "If we can get that done, I’d be really happy.” Alabama, coming off a Final Four season under sixth-year coach Nate Oats. has remained near the top of the SEC standings throughout the 2024-25 season. Two key returning starters from the Tide's Final Four team ― point guard Mark Sears (19.1 ppg, 5.0 apg) and forward Grant Roberts (11.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg) — have led that charge. Once again, the Tide lead the SEC in scoring offense at 91.0 ppg and are rugged on the boards, with a plus-7.4 rebounding margin on the season. Florida is at plus-8.0 on the glass and ranks fifth in the SEC in scoring at 83.8 points per game. "I don’t think they are used to a team that can quite keep up with them offensively and play defense, and we can do that, if we’re being honest," Florida junior center Micah Handlogten said. "I think we’ll match up well against them, and I think we’ll go out there and it will be a good game.”
Which point guard will play better, Florida basketball's Walter Clayton Jr. or Alabama's Mark Sears?
Clayton and Sears are two of five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given to college basketball's top point guard. Sears ranks second in the SEC in scoring (19.1 ppg) and third in assists (5.0 apg), while Clayton ranks tied for seventh in the SEC in scoring (16.9 ppg) and seventh in assists (4.0 apg). Both are capable scorers from the point guard spot who can create for others. Both can be shaky with the ball at times. Sears has posted an assist-to-turnover ratio of 144-80, while Clayton's is 113-65. Sears was benched for a half earlier this season by Oats for not playing with enough effort on defense, while Clayton has shown improvement defensively in 2024-25, with 37 steals on the season. UF will have a better chance of pulling off a road upset if Clayton can create more offense than Sears while taking care of the basketball.
How will the Florida basketball defense handle Alabama's up-tempo attack?
The Crimson Tide rank third in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and lead the nation in Adjusted Offensive Tempo, per KenPom. Sears is the engine that makes Alabama's offensive go, though USF grad transfer guard Chris Youngblood (10.2 ppg, 2.1 3-pointers per game) has played better of late. Forward Grant Nelson (11.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg) is a capable, inside-out scorer who is tough on the offensive glass and can step out and sink shots from 3-point range (18-72, 25%). Sophomore combo guard Aden Holloway, an Auburn transfer, is averaging 12.0 ppg off the bench. "Transition defense is going to be huge in their building (Wednesday) night, trying to make them operate in the halfcourt," Golden said. "And then they’re very efficient. They take rim shots and 3s. Obviously, we’re going to try to make them operate in the mid-range, try to make them take shots they’re not comfortable with or strive to take."
How will Florida basketball handle it final road test on an emotional senior night for Alabama?
Florida is 6-3 on the road this season, including a 90-81 win at No. 1 Auburn, which stands as the best resume win in college basketball this season. But the Gators suffered a loss in their last road game Feb. 25 at Georgia, a game in UF couldn't overcome being down 26 points in the first half in an eventual 88-83 loss to the Bulldogs. Alabama is 12-2 at home this season and enters the matchup desperate, coming of a 79-76 loss at No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday. The Tide will honor Nelson and Sears before the game on Senior Night, and it will be imperative for UF to match Alabama's intensity from the opening tip. " "On the road, it's more of an execution deal," Golden said, "We've been able to do that. I think our team is confident, going into tomorrow night, that we'll be able to compete. And the Auburn game and Mississippi State games we played on the road, they've given us a lot of confidence to go in there and compete."
Florida 95, Alabama 90: Florida will play to its strengths in transition to pick up a key road win and secure a No. 2 seed and double bye in the SEC Tournament. Coming off an off-shooting night in UF's 89-70 win over Texas A&M, Clayton will bounce back with a big game Wednesday. Frontcourt production from forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon also will factor into the game's outcome.
