With the noon start this game was ready-made for fans in town for the FSU game to stick around for some extra action before leaving. I see a lot of empty seats in the stands, though.
Mike White still has more work to do to recapture the trust of the mainly-football Florida fanbase. Many will only follow basketball if there's some assurance of being at least a Sweet 16-caliber team, if not Final Four.
I've been burned by getting my hopes up for Mike White-led UF teams before, but something about this team does feel different. I will be following them this year unless and until Coach White gives me reason to throw up my hands again and say, "Fuchs this guy."