My reflections after the first 10 games

The Gators are in the middle of final exams week, which is the perfect time for a reflection following the team's first 10 games.  The Gators are 6-4, after playing an extremely tough schedule so far.  Losses to Miami (FL), Georgetown, North Carolina, and Kansas have been acceptable defeats.  Over the last few seasons, coach Billy Donovan has beefed up the Gators' non-conference schedule in preparation for the grueling SEC season and eventual NCAA Tournament.  Donovan recently said that these early season losses have helped this year's team because it has forced the players to address issues quickly and have adversity hit early on rather than later in the season.  Had Donovan's team been undefeated right now after having played low-tier Division 1 opponents, it might not have served the team well in the long run.  So, the fact that Florida is unranked at present is not particularly alarming.

Lack of depth is really plaguing the Gators.  Only having eight scholarship players is hampering them.  The transfer of Dillon Graham (will be attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) and the injury to DeVon Walker (torn ACL) in the offseason have been bigger losses than expected.  Senior walk-on Jacob Kurtz has been the unsung hero through the first 10 games, as he is averaging nearly 24 minutes per game and contributing almost five points and five rebounds in those games.  

Health has played a large part in the Gators' slow start.  Redshirt junior Dorian Finney-Smith's hand injury probably cost the Gators against UM and redshirt junior Eli Carter's foot injury has kept him out of four games thus far.  Add in sophomore Chris Walker's two-game suspension to start the season and there are three losses that have contributed to the four losses the Gators have suffered so far.

The team's offensive statistics have not been impressive so far:

Points per game (68.5): 179th in Division 1
Rebounds per game (36.1): 143rd in Division 1
Assists per game (14.3): 100th in Division 1
Field goal percentage (.450): 128th in Division 1

On the flip side, and it comes as no surprise considering Donovan's reputation as a defense-first coach, the Gators are 15th in Division 1 in points allowed at 56 per game.  The players just need to bring the same defensive mentality to the offensive end and the whole rest of the season could be different.

The Gators return to action Saturday when they face Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Florida.  While the Demon Deacons are not the formidable opponent they were three or four years ago, they are an ACC team with plenty of young talent.  And whenever your coach is Danny Manning, you know that you will be successful eventually.  Following Saturday's game, the team will be off until the 30th when they play in-state rival Florida State in Tallahassee.  Then, defending national champion Connecticut visits Gainesville on January 3 before the conference season begins four days later.