The Florida Gators men’s basketball team’s trip to Columbia to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks on this Wednesday night (6:30 p.m., SEC Network or WatchESPN) is a journey into the maw of a defense that just might be the nation’s best.
South Carolina ranks No. 2 in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom, and is No. 2 in effective field goal percentage allowed, No. 3 in turnover percentage and two-point percentage allowed, No. 5 in three-point percentage allowed, and No. 10 in steal percentage. Opponents average nearly 18-second possessions against the Gamecocks, suggesting that Frank Martin’s swarming man defense is forcing foes to work deep into the shot clock, and just three teams — Texas A&M, Louisiana Tech, and Memphis — have been able to post more than a point per possession against the Gamecocks this season.