Breaking down UF’s non-conference schedule

With the start of the season approaching, here’s a breakdown of Florida’s non-conference schedule with analysis from the Blue Ribbon College Yearbook, considered the nation’s most comprehensive college basketball preview magazine. Ordering information for the yearbook can be found here:

Nov. 13 vs. Gardner-Webb

Tip Time: 7 p.m.

Site: O’Connell Center/Exactech Arena

TV: ESPNU

Last season’s record: 19-14, 11-7 Big South

Starters returning: 3

This year’s projection: 6th in Big South

Blue Ribbon Analysis: The bottom line on the Bulldogs — they always play hard. Folks forget they pushed conference champion Winthrop to overtime on the Eagles’  homecourt in the Big South Tournament semifinals. But they are without their top scorers from last season — their point guard and their best low-post scorer — so some new heroes need to emerge.

Nov. 16 vs. UNF

Tip Time: 7 p.m.

Site: O’Connell Center/Exactech Arena

TV: SEC Network

Last season’s record: 15-19, 8-6 in Atlantic Sun

Starters returning: 2

This year’s projection: 3rd in Atlantic Sun

Blue Ribbon Analysis: With the loss of standout guard Dallas Moore, UNF still boasts a talented, though unproven roster in 2017-18. “The one thing that concerns me about this group early is the ability to mentally handle the schedule, understand the difference between coaching and what they perceive things to be,” UNF coach Matthew Driscoll said. “The second thing is how well and how quickly they can grasp our scheme offensively and defensively. We have a lot of moveable pieces and we shoot it like a living dog.”

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PK 80 Tournament

Nov. 19 vs. New Hampshire

Tip Time: 6 p.m.

Site: O’Connell Center/Exactech Arena

TV: SEC Network

Last season’s record: 20-12, 10-6 in America East

Starters returning: 5

This year’s projection: 3rd in America East

Blue Ribbon Analysis: Whether New Hampshire can get over the top will depend on developing a backcourt that can contend with the other conference title contenders. That’s one of the main reasons why the school embarked on a five-game foreign tour in Montreal in August. If the backcourt can progress, the Wildcats will once again be in a position to be a top-four seed and have a chance to reach the America East semifinals.

Nov. 23 vs. Stanford

Tip Time: 10 p.m.

Site: Veterans Coliseum, Portland, Ore.

TV: ESPN2

Last season’s record: 14-17, 6-12 Pac 12

Starters returning: 3

This year’s projection: 5th in Pac 12

Blue Ribbon Analysis: Stanford coach Jerod Haase inherited a pretty good core of talent in his first season and has even more depth for his second. Stanford should be better, should finish in the upper half of the Pac 12, should be good enough to compete with anyone on a given night.

Nov. 24 vs. Gonzaga

Tip Time: 9 or 11 p.m.

Site: Moda Center, Portland, Ore.

TV: ESPN2

Last season’s record:  37-2, 17-1 WCC

Starters returning: 2

This year’s projection: 2nd in WCC

Blue Ribbon Analysis:.Gonzaga coach Mark Few says the Bulldogs are going to be different than the team that made a run to the NCAA Finals last season. “We were so big last year, so dominant, so inside-out,” Few said. But Few said he expects returning forwards Killian Tillie and Jonathan Williams to help pick up some of the slack. “We had massive depth last year and we’re not going to have that this year,” Few said.

Or vs. Ohio State

Tip Time: 9 or 11 p.m.

Site: Moda Center, Portland, Ore.

TV: ESPN2

Last season’s record: 17-15, 7-11 Big 10

Starters returning: 2

This year’s projection: 11th in the Big 10

Blue Ribbon Analysis:. New coach Chris Holtmann is inheriting a roster of 10 scholarship players, which in the short-term, will make it tough to push players through competitive workouts. It will be a surprise if the Buckeyes will ever have to deal with low scholarship numbers again during Holtmann’s tenure. “This job has the potential to get moving in a positive direction really quickly,” Holtmann said.

,Nov. 26 vs. Duke

Tip Time: tbd

Site: Moda Center or Veterans Coliseum, Portland, Ore.

TV:  tbd

Last season’s record: 28-9, 11-7 ACC

Starters returning: 1

This year’s projection: 1st in ACC

Blue Ribbon Analysis: Duke may have as many as six first round draft picks in next season’s NBA draft. That’s a lot of talent, probably more than anyone else in the country. But four of the top seven players will be freshmen while two more will be sophomores who barely saw the court last season. That’s a lot of inexperience. Of course, if any coach can blend young talent into a great team it’s Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski, provided the Blue Devils stay relatively healthy.

Or vs. Butler

Tip Time: tbd

Site: Moda Center or Veterans Coliseum, Portland, Ore.

TV: tbd

Last season’s record: 25-9, 12-6 Big East

Starters returning: 3

This year’s projection: 5th in the Big East

Blue Ribbon Analysis: New Butler coach LaVall Jordan inherits a pair of All-Big East talents in senior power forward Tyler Wideman and senior small forward Kelan Martin. Expect Jordan to add a few wrinkles to the Butler Way, forged by former coaches Brad Stevens and Chris Holtmann.

Or vs. Texas

Tip Time: tbd

Site: Moda Center or Veterans Coliseum, Portland, Ore.

TV: tbd

Last season’s record: 11-22, 4-12 Big 12

Starters returning: 3

This year’s projection: 4th in Big 12

Blue Ribbon Analysis: This is far and away the most talented of coach Shaka Smart’s three teams in Austin. How Texas responds with that talent from an 11-win campaign will determine Smart’s long-term future with the Longhorns

Or vs. Portland State

Tip Time: tbd

Site: Moda Center or Veterans Coliseum, Portland, Ore.

TV: tbd

Last season’s record: 15-16, 7-11 Big Sky

Starters returning: 2

This year’s projection: 8th in Big Sky

Blue Ribbon Analysis: The Vikings have no proven depth beyond their starting five. A good first step would be reversing a trend that has seen Portland State’s conference win total dip for four straight seasons.

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Dec. 4 vs. Florida State

Tip Time: 9 p.m.

Site: O’Connell Center/Exactech Arena

TV: ESPN2

Last season’s record: 26-9, 12-6 ACC

Starters returning: 1

This year’s projection: 8th in ACC

Blue Ribbon Analysis: Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton has the athletes and depth to make FSU a formidable defensive team, good enough to challenge Virginia and Louisville at the ACC’s best defensive unit. But the ‘Noles need to improve their 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting to finish in the upper third of the ACC and return to the NCAA Tournament.

Dec. 6 vs. Loyola-Chicago

Tip Time: 8 p.m.

Site: O’Connell Center/Exactech Arena

TV: SEC Network

Last season’s record: 18-14, 8-10 Missouri Valley Conference

Starters returning: 3

This year’s projection: 5th in Missouri Valley

Blue Ribbon Analysis:.Loyola addressed its depth in the offseason with the addition of two freshmen posts and 7-0, 245-pound grad transfer center Carson Shanks (North Dakota). This program clearly has no aspirations from the CBI or CIT. The Ramblers are aiming for the NCAA or NIT.

Dec. 9 vs. Cincinnati

Tip Time: 6 p.m.

Site: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

TV: ESPN2

Last season’s record: 30-6, 16-2 American Athletic Conference

Starters returning: 3

This year’s projection: 2nd in AAC

Blue Ribbon Analysis: Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin has insisted for years that his approach is not solely defensive in nature and last season’s numbers and the offensive talent on this team would indicate that the Bearcats are far more competent offensively than they were earlier in his tenure there. You know Cincinnati is going to be continue to be extremely tough on defense. That isn’t going to change. As it opens up more this season, Cincinnati will continue to thrive with its recipe of players committed to the program and their personal development.

Dec. 16 vs. Clemson

Tip Time: 4 p.m.

Site: BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV: FS2/Fox Sports Florida

Last season’s record: 17-16, 6-12 ACC

Starters returning: 2

This year’s projection: 12th in the ACC

Blue Ribbon Analysis: This may be a make or break season for seventh-year Clemson coach Brad Brownell as the Tigers haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2011. Clemson can reverse that trend as long as senior forward Donte Grantham takes the next step in his development and emerges as a legitimate go-to guy, junior point guard Shelton Mitchell’s knees stay sound and either 6-foot-9 forward Elijah Thomas or one of the frontcourt newcomers gives Clemson the kind of inside presence it lacked a season ago.

Dec. 20 vs. James Madison

Tip Time: 7 p.m.

Site: Exactech Arena/O’Connell Center

TV: SEC Network

Last season’s record: 10-23, 7-11 Colonial Athletic Association

Starters returning: 2

This year’s projection: 10th in CAA

Blue Ribbon Analysis: It’s difficult to know what to expect from James Madison this season, but it’s reasonable to expect more growing pains as coach Louis Rowe attempts to push the program toward his vision. In all likelihood, JMU needs one or two rookies to make an immediate impact, and counting on their consistent production is always a risky proposition.

Dec. 22 vs. Incarnate Word

Tip Time: 7 p.m.

Site: Exactech Arena/O’Connell Center

TV: SEC Network

Last season’s record: 12-17, 7-11 Southland Conference

Starters returning: 4

This year’s projection: 12th in Southland Conference

Blue Ribbon Analysis: With the addition of a nice recruiting class, count on Incarnate Word to rebound this season and be in the mix in the Southland title race.

Jan. 27 vs. Baylor

Tip Time: noon

Site: Exactech Arena/O’Connell Center

TV: ESPN

Last season’s record: 27-8, 12-6 Big 12

Starters returning: 2

This year’s projection: Fifth in the Big 12

Blue Ribbon Analysis:.Baylor is adding some untested commodities into the mix, but if point guard Manu Lecomte can turn in a stellar senior season and forward Jo Lual-Acuil improves as an interior force, the Bears should find themselves back in the field of 68 this March.