Florida basketball opens Friday night in the O’Dome against Toledo. Toledo, last year, finished 11-19 in the MAC (Mid-American Conference). This is a big reason they have a new coach this year, former Notre Dame assistant Gene Cross. One Rockets player to watch for in particular is senior swing man Tyrone Kent. He ranked in the top 10 of D1 players with 2.6 steals/game last year, including five games in which he got at least five steals. Five steals! Most are predicting Toledo to finish around 2nd in the West division of the MAC, which means they are decent. However, most think the MAC will get only one team to the Big Dance (Kent St.) The Gators should have no trouble with a team of this level.

The Gators face the rare 2-day turnaround when they host Bradley on Sunday afternoon. Bradley plays in the MVC (Missouri Valley Conference), a mid-major conference that is always a threat to land multiple bids for the NCAA tournament. Bradley isn’t on most people’s preseason brackets, but is certainly capable of making a case for a bid, come March. Last year, Bradley claimed wins over Virginia, Iowa, and Cincinnati. The 3-point line was an emphasis for the Braves, so it will be interesting to see if that effects them in the early going (the 3-point line was moved further back this season by the NCAA.) The Gators will face an early test in defending the perimeter against a good shooting mid-major team, particularly junior Andrew Warren and sophomore Sam Maniscalco. The quick turnaround will also be a challenge for the young Gators, as they only have one day to practice after for this game after their opening night date with Toledo. Still, a Gator win should be expected; if they are really to be a threat in the SEC and in March madness, they must be able to win home games against teams of this level.

James is a founder of gatorsfirst.com