Tag: Merrimack Warriors

Gators leap in NET rankings following home win over Merrimack

The Gators gained some major ground in the NET rankings following the win over the Warriors.

Florida basketball improved to 5-3 on Tuesday night with a comeback win over the visiting Merrimack Warriors. The Gators were down by one at the half but thundered back in the final 20 minutes to earn a 77-57 win.

According to the eye test, the victory was far from impressive as the first half exposed a great deal of flaws in the team despite starting the game with a full roster for the first time since the win over Pittsburgh. On the bright side, adjustments were made and the team found a way to get to the finish line.

That is where the NET rankings — a fully objective measurement of outcomes — come in. It not only considers coarse details like win-loss, but also takes into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses.

Todd Golden’s team moved up 16 spots in the NET on Wednesday following the win to No. 49 overall, bookended by the San Francisco Dons — Golden’s former team — at No. 48 and Texas Longhorns at No. 50. So far, Florida is 0-2 in Quadrant 1 games while 1-1 in Q2, 1-0 in Q3 and 3-0 in Q4.

Here’s how the quadrant system breaks things up:

  • Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
  • Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
  • Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
  • Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Conversely, the Gators fell four spots in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index update on Wednesday to No. 28.

Next up for Florida are the NET’s 80th-ranked Richmond Spiders, who face the Gators in Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday, Dec. 9. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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Florida falls in ESPN’s BPI despite win over Merrimack Warriors

It seems that the BPI was not at all impressed with Florida’s win on Tuesday night.

It was a tale of two halves inside the O’Connell Center on Tuesday night. The first half was a sluggish one for Florida basketball, giving many doubts as to whether this team was as good as many had hoped. The second half, however, saw the Gators make a 180-degree turn en route to a 20-point rout.

Despite the comfortable final score, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index was not impressed with the home win over a clearly lesser opponent. On Wednesday following the comeback victory, the Orange and Blue dropped four spots to No. 28 overall with a BPI score of 8.5 — 5.4 on offense and 3.1 on defense.

With eight games in the books and a 5-3 record, Todd Golden and Co. are projected for a 19.5-11.5 record overall and an SEC tally of 10.4-7.6. They have a 7% chance of winning the conference and have the 52nd-ranked remaining strength of schedule.

Next up for Florida are the Richmond Spiders, who face the Gators in Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday, Dec. 9. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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Todd Golden talks to media after win over Merrimack Warriors

Following the game, Florida’s head coach spoke with the media to address what was seen on the O’Dome floor that evening.

Florida basketball earned a Jekyll-and-Hyde win on Tuesday night against the Merrimack Warriors, 77-57, but it was anything but a pretty affair inside the O’Connell Center.

The Gators looked sloppy and undisciplined in the opening half constantly coughing the ball up while struggling to find any rhythm. Fortunately, Todd Golden’s gang got things figured out in the second half, turning a one-point halftime deficit into a 20-point rout.

Following the game, Florida’s head coach spoke with the media to address what was seen on the O’Dome floor that evening. Take a look below at an abridged list of topics and responses after the victory over the visiting Warriors.

Five takeaways from the Florida Gators victory over Merrimack

Our five takeaways from the Florida Gators home win over the Merrimack Warriors.

Although it was a little too close for comfort in the first half, the Florida Gators were able to pull out a double-digit victory over the Merrimack Warriors on Tuesday night, 77-57, snapping UF’s two-game losing streak.

Merrimack came out swinging in the first half to give the Gators a scare, claiming a one-point lead going into the second frame and keeping it close until the final buzzer sounded.

The Gators started to find a rhythm and gained separation around the 16-minute mark of the second half, controlling the turnovers and igniting a 28-4 run.

Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. was on-point while shooting on the field and forward Alex Condon was a rebounding machine, especially on the offensive side of the ball to give the Gators second chance opportunities.

Here are our five main takeaways from the Tuesday night matchup between the Florida Gators and the Merrimack Warriors.

Game preview: Florida Gators to host Merrimack College on Tuesday night

Florida Gators basketball looks to end its losing streak against the Merrimack Warriors. Check out how the teams will line up on Tuesday night.

The Florida Gators return to The Swamp on Tuesday night after losing two-straight games on the road. It should be the game to get the basketball program back on track before the meat of the schedule.

The Merrimack College Warriors are coming to town to challenge the Gators in the O’Dome and are looking to extend its winning streak after taking down Massachusetts-Lowell. The Gators will prove to be a real test for Merrimack, as they are the second power five program to challenge the Warriors this season.

Merrimack got shot down by a double-digit score from the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, 76-52.

The Gators went with a small starting lineup in its last contest against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the game plan almost worked, going basket-for-basket until the final minutes of play.

Florida head coach Todd Golden holds the Merrimack program in high regards and said he respects the team.

“They have a really good coach,” Golden said. “Something that I respect a lot about them is that they have a style of play. They are very driven to do what they do and execute the way they want to play.”

Merrimack might be a harder matchup for the Gators than you think. Here’s how the teams will line up on Tuesday night.

ESPN’s BPI prediction for Florida vs. Merrimack Warriors on Tuesday

Here are the BPI numbers ahead of Wednesday night’s men’s basketball game.

Todd Golden and the Florida men’s basketball team host the Merrimack Warriors this coming Tuesday, Dec. 5, inside the O’Connell Center for the eighth game of the young 2023-24 schedule.

So far, the Gators have looked solid but it has not always shown up in the final score. While this team was ostensibly rebuilt from the ground up after last year’s roster departed en mass, the Orange and Blue have only been at full strength for a game and change. It began the year with Zion Pullin suspended for three games followed by an injury to Micah Handgloten.

Nonetheless, the non-conference schedule continues with the Warriors paying a visit to Gainesville for a midweek tangle. Ahead of the game, ESPN published its BPI predictions for the college basketball slate, including this one.

The BPI gives the game a 53.4 (out of 100) matchup quality rating — putting it in the middle of the pack that day — with Florida holding a 95% chance of winning and the projected margin sitting at 20.2 points.

Tipoff for Florida vs. Merrimack is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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What we learned following Ohio State basketball’s win over Merrimack

Here are some things we learned (we think) following Ohio State basketball’s win over Merrimack?

[autotag]Ohio State men’s basketball[/autotag] got back in the win column on Wednesday night, defeating visiting Merrimack 76-52.

The Buckeyes got off to a slow start in the first half, only to see the quality of basketball greatly improve in the second 20 minutes. Ohio State upped it’s play on offense and defense, putting away the Warriors with about 8 minutes left in the game.

It was a very encouraging effort from this team, as they improve their record to 2-1 on this young season with a tuneup against Western Michigan before facing a ranked Alabama team at home.

As for tonight, here’s what we learned after tonight’s Buckeye basketball win.