Gators looking for consistency against Baylor Saturday

Florida looks to bounce back in SEC-Big XII Challenge

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a college basketball season that has seen more turnover in the polls than ever, Florida is a poster child for inconsistency.

The 20th-ranked Gators have posted impressive wins, like a 111-105 shootout win over Gonzaga in November, an upset of now-ninth-ranked Cincinnati in December and giving Kentucky its first home conference loss in 30 games Saturday. But just as quickly as Florida turns in a positive performance, they can turn the turn in a five point loss at home to South Carolina, as they did on Wednesday.

Ask head coach Mike White about the breakdowns, and he will roll off a litany of issues. 

"It doesn't make a lot of sense. Our focus wasn't as sharp as it was in Lexington," White said of the Gators' defensive play against South Carolina.

White doesn't question his team's effort, but the roster he has to work with this season is lacking some length. 6-foot-8 forward Devin Robinson opted to go pro, 6-foot-11 center John Egbunu is out with an injury and athletic point guard Kasey Hill completed his eligibility. Still, the mental approach to the game has caused the Gators to struggle in spurts.

"I'm not down on our guys," White said. "Just the focus, the mental decisions, the mental discipline that we have needs to be better. Our margin for error is smaller. We're not as talented defensively as last year's group. We're not as quick. We're not as fast. We're not as long."

Saturday, the Gators will step out of conference play when they face Baylor in the SEC-Big XII Challenge. It will be just the second time that Florida and Baylor have met on the basketball court, the first coming in 1981 when White was approaching his fourth birthday.

"It provides ample opportunity for the league to improve our brand and to make a statement," White said. "It's an opportunity for us to get better and improve our numbers and to get back on a winning track, potentially."