Preview: Warriors head to Florida to face defending national champions

Fresh off Wednesday’s win over Maine, the Warriors head back on the road tonight to face No. 10 Florida, the defending national champions.

This marks Merrimack’s second trip to Gainesville. The Warriors visited the Gators during the 2023-24 season and actually held a halftime lead before Florida took control in the second half on the way to a 77-57 victory.

Game Details

When: Friday, Nov. 21
Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Gainsville, Fla.
Venue: O’Connell Center (cap. 10,500)
TV/Stream: SEC+ (ESPN+)

By the Numbers

Keys to the Game

Points off turnovers and fouls will be key

The numbers don’t pull any punches. The Warriors enter tonight’s matchup as 21.5-point underdogs against the Gators. If they want to keep this one competitive — or even flirt with an upset — the formula likely hinges on turning defense into offense and maximizing trips to the free-throw line.

Merrimack is shooting 75.4 percent from the stripe, good for No. 87 in the nation. And while the Warriors’ defensive identity is rooted in forcing turnovers, Florida has shown some vulnerability there, ranking No. 260 nationally in offensive giveaways. If Merrimack can exploit that weakness — generating turnovers and converting them into points — that’s the biggest path to hanging around.

Getting to the line more often than the Gators seems unlikely in a non-conference setting (on the road), but knocking down 80 percent or better when they do get there would provide a significant boost.