Florida Gators Basketball: 10 Most Intriguing Games of 2008-2009

Another year of "Billy Ball" has begun in Gainesville, and Billy Donovan is telling us how young this team is.

Sounds a lot like last year.

Truth be told, the 2008-2009 Gator men's basketball team features 11 underclassmen and just two upperclassmen (not counting Georgetown transfer and junior forward Vernon Macklin, who must redshirt under NCAA transfer rules).

But a huge difference from last year is that the Gators have increased their number of scholarship players from nine to 12. This means practices are more competitive, and playing time only goes to players that have earned it.

To borrow a phrase from Bill Belichick, there were a lot of players who got to third base without hitting a triple.

Not anymore.

If you would like evidence that their is more competition for playing time this year, look no further than Jai Lucas's decision to transfer. The starting point guard last year, Lucas has decided that he will transfer in the spring to an undecided school. He will not play any games this season so that next season he does not have to redshirt.

It's likely that Lucas witnessed the influx of new talent, and also considering the already established presence of Nick Calathes, Jai determined that he would not receive the amount of playing time that he wanted.

However, the true test to determine if this team is any better than last year's version is the games themselves.

With that, here are my top 10 most intriguing games on the Gator's schedule this year, with the ability for a game to identify how much the Gators have improved a key factor in making the list.

10.  Feb. 24 at LSU, 9 PM on ESPN

The Gators have lost the past two meetings largely due to LSU's strong, physical play. The Florida frontcourt was unable to defend on the post last season, and that contributed to LSU putting up 85 points in Gainesville. A win in this game would be a strong indication that the Gators are playing more physical this year.

9.  Feb. 3 vs. South Carolina, 9 PM on ESPN

It seems both ESPN and I are excited about the point guard match-up here between Devan Downey of South Carolina and Nick Calathes/Erving Walker of Florida.  Downey is a pure scorer, Calathes is an unselfish playmaker, and Walker is an excellent defender and outside shooter.

8.  Dec. 7 at Florida State, 6 PM

The Seminoles have upset the Gators two years in a row. I'm just glad the Gator football team keeps winning, but Florida's returning players will definitely be fired up to even the score after FSU won in Gainesville last season.

7.  Jan. 3 vs. North Carolina State, 4 PM on CBS

The first real test at home for this Gator team comes on national TV.  Beating an ACC team could help prove that Florida deserves a spot in the big dance.

6.  Nov. 24 vs. Syracuse in Kansas City, MO, 7:30 PM on ESPN2

The Gators leave home for the first time this season and head to the site of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic.  Playing a Big East team is always a good early season test.

5.  Nov. 25 vs. Washington or Kansas in Kansas City, MO, TBA

This is the second game in a back-to-back for the aforementioned tournament.  Who the Gators play depends on the outcomes of the day before. Both Washington and Kansas would be formidable, but a chance to beat the defending national champion Kansas team would be especially appealing.

4.  Mar. 7 vs. Kentucky, 2 PM on CBS

This is the game that inspires Florida students to camp outside the arena for a week. This has nothing to do with obtaining tickets. That is done on-line. These students guarantee themselves front row seats by virtue of showing up before other students, but in reality, they would still be close to the court if they arrived about three hours before the game. 

It's the only basketball game in Gainesville that comes close to generating the buzz of a Gator football game.

3.  Mar. 1 vs. Tennessee, 2 PM on CBS

The atmosphere for this game is always electric, and considering how close the Gators came to knocking off a highly-ranked Tennessee team last season, this should be more of the same.

Key returning players like Calathes, Dan Werner, Walter Hodge, and Chandler Parsons will certainly want to avenge that heartbreaking three point defeat at home.

2.  Jan. 31 at Tennessee, 9 PM on ESPN

The Gators struggled mightily in the second half last year up in Knoxville. When their shots stopped falling, their intensity waned. How this team responds to adversity on the road will go a long way to determining their postseason fate. This one barely misses out on the top spot because Florida's biggest rival is Kentucky.

1.  Feb. 10 at Kentucky, 9 PM on ESPN

The loss up at Rupp Arena at the end of last season went a long way toward erasing any chance the Gators had of earning an NCAA Tournament at-large berth.  Only a mature team can go into that hostile environment and win an important conference/rivalry game.

If the Gators can win at least six of these games, expect them to be in excellent position to return to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year hiatus. 

If not, be prepared for a return trip to the NIT.