Basketball- Season Tipoff

The Gators tipoff the 2011-2012 NCAA Basketball season on November 11th vs. the Jackson State Tigers who went 17-15 last year. Almost everyone is expecting a Florida win. The first Gators tough ranked challenge is their second game on November 15th vs. #3 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. With forward Jared Sullinger coming back, the Gators are gonna have a real tough time defending down low vs. one of the best big men in the league. The Gators also play another marquee game on December 2nd and December 7th vs. #5 Syracuse and #16 Arizona. Their last ranked non-conference game is against #19 Texas A&M on December 17th. Then the Gators go into conference play where they will play ranked teams such as #17 Alabama, #7 Vanderbilt twice and #2 Kentucky twice. Florida definitely have a tough schedule (rated 10 out of 10 by ESPN's Andy Katz). It's hard to tell weather the Gators will do as good last year (29-8, lost in Elite 8 to Butler) without SF Chandler Parsons, PF Alex Tyus and C Vernon Macklin, but then again adding pure shooter Brad Beal, and Walter Pitchford along with sophomores Patric Young and Cody Larson, returnings Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton, Erik Murphy, Scotty Wilbiken,Will Yeguete and Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario. The Gators, starting out ranked #10, have some challenges along the way, but I still see a successful season ahead.