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Kansas State at Florida

This Saturday the No. 6 Kansas State Wildcats will once again be tested early in the season as they are set to take on the No. 24 Florida Gators, in the Metro PCS Orange Bowl Classic at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, FL. The Wildcats played three ranked teams in just a weeks time earlier this season, beating then No. 24 Virginia Tech and No. 12 Gonzaga, but did lose 82-68  to the top ranked Duke Blue Devils. The Wildcats are 9-1, but it still doesn’t seem like this team is playing as well as they are capable of. As for the Gators, they opened the season ranked ninth in the country, but haven’t exactly lived up to their billing so far this season. Florida lost its only game against a ranked opponent, falling 93-75 against then No. 5 Ohio State, and then later fell to UCF 57-54. The lines have the Wildcats favored by just 1-point over the Gators in this one.

The Wildcats are led by senior guard Jacob Pullen, who is averaging 16 points, four assists and four rebounds a game. Pullen has shot under 30% in two of his last three games, but did average over 19 points a game last season, so you have to think he is going to get it going at some point this season.

A big key for the Wildcats in this game will be free throw shooting. Kansas State is second to last in Division 1, shooting just 54.3% from the charity strike this season, not exactly the kind of numbers you expect from a top 10 team.

The Gators bring a balanced scoring attack to the table, as four different players come into the game averaging in double figures. Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton lead the way at 12 points a game, but center Vernon Macklin has been the real scoring threat for the Gators of late. Macklin is shooting lights out over the Gators last three games, averaging 17 points on 75% shooting.The Gators have shot much better of late, making nearly 49% of their shots in the last three games, after shooting just 41% in their first six.

The Wildcats have struggled in their first two true road games this season, and while this isn’t technically a road game, the crowd will be heavily covered in Gators Orange and Blue. I like Florida to pull off the upset and win this game, as I think the Wildcats struggles from the free throw line are really going to hurt them.