Few matchups in Tuesday night’s Florida-Florida State game will draw more attention than the battle inside, where Gators center Rueben Chinyelu may run into a true heavyweight in Seminoles big man Marcis Ponder.
Chinyelu, a 6-foot-10, 265-pound force for the nation’s top-ranked team, has built a reputation as a relentless rebounder and rim protector. But Ponder is no ordinary freshman-sized test. The 19-year-old, nicknamed “Baby Shaq” after Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, stands 7 feet and weighs 285 pounds, and he has already become a fan favorite in Tallahassee.
“He’s just a huge human being,” Florida coach Todd Golden said Monday. “My hope is that our experience attacks his youth a little bit tomorrow night.”
Florida’s edge may come from more than Chinyelu alone. The Gators have size, depth and production across the front line, starting with Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh.
Condon, a 6-foot-11, 236-pound power forward, is coming off a double-double and also handed out eight assists. Haugh, a 6-foot-9, 215-pound senior, entered the season as an Associated Press first-team preseason All-America and has backed it up so far, averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and four assists while committing just one turnover in two games. Golden said both are expected to rise to the moment.
“I expect them to step up in a big way being a road game,” Golden said of the forward duo.
But Florida State has its own size to throw around. Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11, 230-pound junior, is averaging 21.5 points, while Shon Abaev, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound versatile forward, is putting up 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and six assists. Golden didn’t sugarcoat the challenge.
“They got some real dudes on the front line,” Golden said. “It’ll be a huge challenge for us.”
Ponder has already flashed why the Seminoles are excited about him. In Florida State’s 113-69 season-opening win over Florida A&M in Tampa, he posted 15 points and 11 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double, and the crowd was chanting his name in the first half. He also turned heads in an exhibition against Auburn, grabbing 21 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive glass, while scoring 13 points.
Now he gets a bigger stage, with a national TV audience watching him go against Chinyelu, 23, and a Florida team that comes in as a 10.5-point favorite.
Florida State nearly caught the Gators last November, when second-year coach Luke Loucks’ team pushed Florida before falling 78-76 in Gainesville. The Seminoles used switching defenses and aggressive ball pressure to force 18 turnovers, six of them by Condon.
That turnover battle is a major focus for Florida this time around. The Gators have averaged 13 turnovers through their first two games, and Golden made it clear that won’t cut it on the road.
“We need to value the basketball,” Golden said. “We can’t expect to have 15 or 16 turnovers and walk out of there with a win.”
No. 1 Florida (2-0 SEC) visits Florida State (2-0) Tuesday night on ESPN2.
In Other News...
Florida Now Faces A Painful Reminder Of Its Staff Turnover
Floridas defensive back room has already felt the ripple effects of another staff change, and Jordan Castell and Aaron Gates are the latest reminder of how quickly those decisions can reshape a roster. Both players were once part of the Gators plans before transferring to Kentucky, where they have settled in and turned in career-best production this season.
Jon Sumrall said he made an effort to keep both defenders in Gainesville, but he simply did not have enough time to sway their choices. For Florida, the sting is obvious: two familiar names now helping a conference rival while the Gators are left to wonder how different things might have looked with a steadier hand on the staff. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Heads To Kentucky With A Quarterback Problem Still Unsettled
Florida is heading into a tricky Week 11 road trip to Kentucky with its quarterback situation still unresolved, and Jon Sumrall is not ready to hand the job to either Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. after another uneven stretch. Jones got the start against Oklahoma last time out, but the performance did little to settle the discussion as the Gators continue searching for steadier play under center.
The timing is hardly ideal with Kentucky still in the mix for a College Football Playoff spot and the Gators facing a difficult environment on the road. For Florida, the question is no longer just who gets the first snap, but whether either quarterback can provide enough consistency to give the offense a chance against one of the tougher assignments left on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Heads To Kentucky With One Big Offensive Question
Florida heads into Week 11 with a familiar SEC test and a lot to sort out on offense. The Gators are 5-4 and have hit a rough patch on that side of the ball, while Kentucky brings a 7-2 record and a No. 13 ranking into a matchup that has tilted the Wildcats way lately despite Floridas historical edge in the series.
Kentucky has won four of the last five meetings, which only adds to the pressure on a Florida offense looking for answers on the road. The Wildcats are coming off a loss to Tennessee, and the betting market has moved only slightly ahead of kickoff, but the bigger question for Florida is whether it can find enough rhythm to keep this one from turning into another frustrating afternoon. [Read more 🡒]