For the second straight year, Florida is facing a No. 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Last year, the Gators knocked off 15th-seed Norfolk State in the Round of 32. This time, Florida is facing Florida Gulf Coast University, the first 15-seed ever to make the Sweet 16. Game time on Friday is scheduled for 9:57 p.m. ET on TBS at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Miami coach Jim Larranaga is aware of the problems FGCU can present. FGCU knocked off the ACC-champion Hurricanes 63-51 in its home opener on Nov. 13. The Eagles have also toppled Georgetown and San Diego State to Reach the Sweet 16.
Larranaga called FGCU point guard Brett Comer “one of the best point guards in the country.” Comer ranks 16th nationally in assists at 6.4 per game.
“He finds the open man as good as anybody and he’s got shooters at every location,” Larranaga said. “They play extremely hard, they spread you out and they are not afraid to run the floor with you. Against us, they were very effective in their zone defense. And very effective ball screening us to death. They are a very solid team.”
Other things to know about the FGCU program:
– Head coach Andy Enfeld is in his second year at the helm of the program after serving as a Florida State assistant from 2006-11. Like Florida coach Billy Donovan, Enfeld is a Rick Pitino disciple, having served as an assistant under Pitino from 1998-2000 with the Boston Celtics.
– Florida Gulf Coast ranks 20th in the nation in steals at 8.9 a game. They Eagles also rank 43rd in scoring offense (73.3 ppg), 46th in 3-point defense (30.9 percent) and are 50th in field-goal percentage (45.9 percent).
– FGCU’s weaknesses are scoring defense (66.9 ppg allowed), taking care of the ball (14.6 turnovers per game) and free-throw shooting (.667).
– Donovan could call close friend and former Florida assistant Shaka Smart for a scouting report. VCU knocked off Florida Gulf Coast 80-57 in the season-opener for both teams.
Larranaga said he’s not surprised that FGCU has made a run in the tournament.
“One of the things about guys who fly under the radar screen who are very good they play with more confidence and more determination than the opponent normally expects to see,” Larranaga said. “You think, once you get these guys down it’s over with, and it’s not, because those guys are going to fight you for every possession and for every minute of the game. They are very, very capable of beating any team they play.”
