A Look at Gators Men's, Women's Basketball Jumpman Invitational Matchups

Both of the Florida Gators basketball teams are heading to the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte

The Gators head to Charlotte for the Jumpman Invitational / Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

This week, the Florida Gators mens and womens basketball teams will be in Charlotte, North Carolina to participate in the Jumpman Invitational. The showcase will feature four original Jordan-brand sponsored teams (North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Oklahoma) over the course of two days.

Both of Florida’s teams will be taking on the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. The Gators men's team will play on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m., while the women’s team will play on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. 

The Gator men's team has gotten off to an undefeated (10-0) start this season and is currently ranked No.7 in the AP poll. The women’s team won their first four games of the season, but were later slowed by a four-game losing streak.

A Look At The Mens Matchup

UNC started the season ranked No.9 in the AP poll, but fell out of the Top 25 after losing three straight games against ranked opponents. As of late, the Tar Heels have won their past two games (La Salle, Georgia Tech).

Offensively, the Tar Heels are led by fifth-year guard RJ Davis. This season, Davis leads the team in points (17.6) and is averaging the second-most assists (4.3). Last season, Davis was named the ACC Player Of The Year and was a Consensus All-American selection.

Another Tar Heel that has impressed is former five-star true freshman guard (No.2 prospect in the country) Ian Jackson. Jackson has averaged 10.8 points and 3 rebounds per game this season.

While North Carolina has solid guard play, they are limited in terms of size. According to the program's official roster, there is not a single center on the team.

On the other hand, Gators big man Alex Condon has been a major factor in the team's early success this year. The 6 foot 11 and 230 pound sophomore leads the team in rebounds (7.1) and blocks (1.3, 9th most in the SEC) and is third on the team in points per game (12.2)

To go along with Condon’s contributions, Walter Clayton Jr has been one of the top scorers in the SEC. The senior guard is leading the team 19.1 points per game (fourth-best in the conference, 0.8 points behind No.1 spot) and 3.6 assists per game. 

While Florida’s early success is encouraging, it is worth noting that they have not faced a ranked opponent, and will not do so until January.

A Look At The Women's Matchup

After suffering a close loss to 25th-ranked Georgia Tech on Sunday, the Tar Heels dropped five spots to No.19 on the AP Poll. UNC’s only other loss this season came against second-ranked UConn on Nov. 15.

Fifth-year guard Alyssa Ustby is the Tar Heels leading scorer (10.8) and rebounder (9.1). Although Ustby is only 6-foot-1, she is averaging the fifth-most rebounds in the SEC and has more rebounds than any other guard in the conference 

While they have been successful up to this point of the season, the Tar Heels are not a high-scoring team (10th most points per game in the ACC). However, North Carolina’s defensive capabilities (fewest points allowed per game in the ACC) have allowed them to take control of games.

Florida is led by senior center Ra’Shaya Kyle. Kyle nearly averages a double-double as she leads the Gators in scoring (16.7) and rebounds (9.7). Just behind Kyle is freshman guard Liv Mcgill, who is second on the team in scoring (16.5) and leads the team in assists (5.5).