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Florida A&M-Florida Preview

Dec 1, 2009 - 4:52 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Florida A&M (0-7) at Florida (6-0), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Before this season, Florida coach Billy Donovan said one of his greatest challenges is returning his program to prominence.

The newly 13th-ranked Gators took a big step toward that goal last weekend, and appear likely to clinch their best start in five seasons Tuesday night at home against winless Florida A&M.

Florida has missed the NCAA tournament in the two seasons since winning back-to-back national titles, but Donovan might finally have the team that could make it back to the field of 65.

Florida (6-0) opened some eyes Friday night with a 77-74 upset of No. 2 Michigan State in the Legends Classic semifinals in Atlantic City, N.J. The following evening, the Gators beat Rutgers 73-58 in the championship game.

"We came out and we wanted to show everyone that (Friday) night's game wasn't a fluke," said freshman guard Kenny Boynton, averaging a team-high 15.8 points per game. "We heard people were saying we were soft. We basically wanted to put pressure on both of these teams early and get the win."

Balanced scoring and a smothering defense have helped the Gators leap into the Top 25 for the first time since Jan. 19. Now, the Gators have a chance to improve to 7-0 for the first time since its 2005-06 national championship season, when it opened 17-0 in a run that included an 84-47 rout of Florida A&M.

"We knew that we could compete with these teams, but to come out and actually beat them shows us that we could play with anybody in the country and we just want to keep it going," sophomore guard Erving Walker said.

Walker, who had the go-ahead 3-pointer against Michigan State and earned tournament MVP honors, is one of four Florida players averaging in double figures at 11.0 points.

The Gators rank among the nation's top defensive clubs, allowing 56.2 points per game and 37.4 percent shooting. That should be more than enough to handle the Rattlers (0-7), who have scored more than 70 points in a game only once this season.

Florida A&M has scored 61.1 points per game and none of its players are averaging in double figures. The Rattlers are allowing an average of 86.4 points.

They gave up 90 points for the third time this season in their last game, a 90-59 loss at UAB on Saturday night. Florida A&M has dropped 18 of its last 22 dating to last January.

Florida has won all 10 previous meetings in this series, including a 73-58 home victory last Dec. 2. Alex Tyus and Chandler Parsons scored 15 points apiece in that victory, while Walker added 13.

The Rattlers' current leading scorer, senior guard Brandon Bryant (9.3 ppg), had 16 points in last season's matchup.

The Gators are 18-0 all-time against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents, including 16-0 since Donovan took over in 1996-97.