Game Preview: Florida returns to home to host Vanderbilt Commodores
There are only five games left in the regular season for Florida basketball, and after a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Orange and Blue are returning to the Swamp to host the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Exactech Arena is listed as sold out for Saturday afternoon’s contest and the Gators will lean on the Rowdy Reptiles so they can collect its fifth consecutive home win. Florida has played comfortably in the O’Dome this season, holding an 11-1 record when the home crowd is watching their back.
Saturday will be the first of two meetings between the Gators and Commodores, with the second matchup slated as the final game of the regular season on March 9. Let’s take a look at how the squads will line up at tipoff.
Starting lineup: Florida Gators
Player | Pos | H/W | Class | Min. | Pts. | Reb. |
Walter Clayton Jr. | G | 6-2/195 | Junior | 31.1 | 16.8 | 3.8 |
Zyon Pullin | G | 6-4 /206 | Sophomore | 33.2 | 15.6 | 4.0 |
Will Richard | G | 6-4 /206 | Junior | 29.0 | 11.3 | 3.9 |
Tyrese Samuel | F | 6-10/239 | Graduate | 27.2 | 12.9 | 8.1 |
Micah Handlogten | C | 7-1/235 | Sophomore | 20.4 | 6.5 | 7.6 |
Starting lineup: Vanderbilt Commodores
Player | Pos | H/W | Class | Min. | Pts. | Reb. |
Tyrin Lawrence | G | 6-4/200 | Sophomore | 30.7 | 13.4 | 5.0 |
Isaiah West | G | 6-2 /190 | Freshman | 13.2 | 3.2 | 1.1 |
Ezra Manjon | G | 6-0 /170 | Fifth-Year | 31.0 | 14.0 | 3.0 |
Ven-Allen Lubin | F | 6-8/230 | Sophomore | 26.6 | 11.0 | 5.8 |
Evan Taylor | G | 6-6/205 | Graduate | 23.5 | 8.7 | 3.8 |
Key Player: Walter Clayton Jr.
Surprise, surprise. The breakout point guard for the Gators returns once again as a key player for his squad.
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. has been setting the world ablaze while starting for UF and is coming off his second-best performance of the season against the Alabama Crimson Tide this past Wednesday. Clayton recorded a team-high 27 points while tallying five assists and collecting eight rebounds.
Key player: Ezra Manjon
The Vanderbilt Commodores play through a two-headed system led by guards Tyrin Lawrence and Ezra Manjon, but Manjon stands out between just based on the experience he brings to the floor as a fifth-year competitor.
Although the Commodore are struggling to find their footing this year, the UC-Davis transfer is doing all he can to lead his team back to March relevancy. Manjon is averaging 14 points a game on top of 3.7 assists a game and three rebounds for Vandy.
Prediction
The Gators just had their hearts broken by the Crimson Tide in overtime and the Commodores are the perfect opponent for Florida to recollect some momentum going into the final leg of the season. This is a game that should be a pretty straightforward victory for Todd Golden and Co.
Florida 91, Vanderbilt 78
BPI Prediction
Using the Basketball Power Index, ESPN is giving the Florida Gators 97% win probability and projected to come out on top by 22.8 points over the Commodores. The matchup quality earned a 59.6-point grade, putting it at No. 43 among the games being played on Saturday afternoon.
How to watch
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV Channel: SEC Network
Radio: Gators IMG Sports Network
Live Stream: fuboTV (try it free)
Read more
Florida basketball cracks AP top 25 for first time in Golden era
Florida still outside USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll in Week 16 update
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