Florida State looks to extend basketball dominance over Florida

No. 20 Florida State looks for its seventh straight win in the head-to-head series with Florida as the rivals tip off at 11 Saturday morning at the Tucker Center in Tallahassee.

In its past six wins against the Gators, the Seminoles won by an average of 10 points. Florida’s last win in the series was Nov. 29, 2013, a 67-66 victory.

Mike White is 0-5 against FSU as Gators coach.

“Oh, yeah, I’m reminded of that a bunch. I’m not going to lie about that. They’ve had a great run,” White said. “To me, if it’s about more than Saturday then it’s about too much. It’s this team against their current team. That’s all it is.

“We’ve got to defend well. We’ve got to value the basketball. We’ve got to execute better than they do offensively and defensively to have a chance. Our guys don’t need to be thinking about anything more than that.”

M.J. Walker has averaged 18 points while Balsa Koprivica has put up 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for FSU (2-0). For the Gators (3-0), forward Keyontae Johnson has averaged 19.7 points and six rebounds while guard Tre Mann has put up 15.3 points and four assists.

“I know they’re going to try and come at me,’' Mann said. “That’s what they do, that’s how they play. So I’m just going to have to go right back at them the same way.”

FSU is ranked sixth among Division I teams with an offensive rebound percentage of 42.9 percent. The Seminoles average 18 offensive rebounds per game.

Saturday’s game

Florida at No. 20 Florida State, 11 a.m., Tucker Center, Tallahassee. TV: ESPNU