Last week, the new-look Florida basketball team made its public debut in an exhibition game against Embry-Riddle. That provided them with an opportunity to get every player on the roster into the game, work on some areas of weakness and put on a show for their fans in a stress-free setting.
Now it’s time for the real deal. The Gators will open the regular season against Elon on Tuesday at 8 at Exactech Arena.
Obviously, winning is always the No. 1 goal entering a game, but these early-season non-conference games also serve as an opportunity for coach Mike White to try out different combinations, identify strengths and weaknesses, and make the necessary improvements before SEC play rolls around in late December.