2007-08 Hoop Schedule Released

The Florida Gators released its 2007-08 schedule on Monday, and there will be some time for the five new starters to get adjusted before the SEC schedule begins in January. Besides its traditionally rivalry game with Florida State, the Gators’ non-conference schedule is highlighted by a November matchup with Rutgers from the Big East and a trip to Columbus in December to face Ohio State.

Florida plays two exhibition games before getting the regular season underway on November 9 against North Dakota State. The first test of the season will come on Nov. 17 when Florida hosts Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights struggled last season, posting a 10-19 record (3-13, Big East) and failed to make their conference tournament.

The Gators next test will come on Nov. 23 when they host the Seminoles. In odd years when both the basketball and football games are played in Gainesville, the basketball game is held on Friday night, the eve of the football game, unlike the December date it gets when played in Tallahassee.

The Gators return to Tampa for the second-straight season, playing Vermont on Nov. 30. The Catamounts won the America East regular season last year, but lost to Albany in the conference tournament final and went to the NIT instead. Vermont gained notoriety three years ago after defeating Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

In their first 15 games, the Gators only leave the state of Florida once, traveling to Ohio State on Dec. 22 in a rematch of last year’s national championship game. Besides the trip to Tampa, the Gators also play in the Orange Bowl Classic, facing Temple on Dec. 29. in South Florida.

The SEC season opens in Tuscaloosa when the Gators face Alabama on Jan. 8. They face Kentucky at the O’Connell Center just four games into the conference schedule on Jan. 19. They head to Rupp Arena on March 9 in their second meeting with the Wildcats to close out the SEC regular season.

The Gators face SEC East favorite Tennessee on Feb. 5 in Knoxville and host the Vols on March 5.

2007-08 Florida Basketball Schedule
(Date/Opponent/Location/Time/TV)
November
Thurs. 1 Flagler (Exh.) Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Mon. 5 Lynn (Exh.) Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Fri. 9 North Dakota State^ Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Sun. 11 Tennessee Tech^ Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Wed. 14 UNC-Central^ Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Sat. 17 Rutgers ^ Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Tues. 20 North Florida Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Fri. 23 Florida State Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center TBA TBA
Tues. 27 Stetson Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center TBA TBA
Fri. 30 Vermont Tampa, Fla. St. Pete Times Forum TBA TBA

December
Mon. 3 Jacksonville Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center TBA TBA
Wed. 5 Florida A&M Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Sat. 15 Georgia Southern Jacksonville, Fla. Jax Veterans Mem. Col. TBA TBA
Wed. 19 Charleston Southern Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Sat. 22 Ohio State Columbus, Ohio Value City Arena 3:45 p.m. CBS
Sat. 29 Temple% Sunrise, Fla. BankAtlantic Center TBA TBA

January
Wed. 2 High Point Gainesville, Fla. O'Connell Center TBA TBA
Tues. 8 Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala. Coleman Coliseum TBA ESPN
Sat. 12 Auburn Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center Noon LF
Wed. 16 Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. Tad Smith Coliseum 8 p.m. LF
Sat. 19 Kentucky Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center TBA ESPN
Wed. 23 South Carolina Columbia, S.C. Colonial Center 8 p.m. LF
Sun. 27 Vanderbilt Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center 1 p.m. LF

February
Sat. 2 Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark. Bud Walton Arena 3 p.m. LF
Tues. 5 Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn. Thompson-Boling Arena TBA ESPN
Sat. 9 Georgia Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center 3 p.m. LF
Wed. 13 LSU Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center 8 p.m. LF
Sat. 16 Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn. Memorial Gymnasium 3 p.m. LF
Wed. 20 South Carolina Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center 8 p.m. LF
Wed. 27 Georgia Athens, Ga. Stegeman Coliseum TBA TBA

March
Sat. 1 Mississippi State Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center 2 p.m. CBS
Wed. 5 Tennessee Gainesville, Fla. O’Connell Center 9 p.m. LF
Sun. 9 Kentucky Lexington, Ky. Rupp Arena Noon CBS
Thurs. 13- Sun. 16 SEC Tournament Atlanta, Ga. Georgia Dome TBA LF/CBS