Florida Updates - Lots of Facts with a Little Funny by Tyler Brodie

3/3/2025

The disrespect is next level. Going down to number 5 after a loss to Georgia is unacceptable. It's not like I want the Gators to be a one-seed or anything, totally not. 

The most brutal loss of the season occurred in Georgia against the Bulldogs Tuesday night. The Bulldogs, being 4-10 in conference play before this game, were heavily favored to lose against the former 3rd-ranked Gators. Spoiler alert: they won. 88-83 was the final score, but that doesn't represent how poorly the Gators played in the first half after Georgia tripled their score 13-39. Will Richard, my ray of sunshine on a stormy day, scored 30 points in the loss, marking his career high. It's essential to look at the positives of a rare upset loss.

The Will Richard dominance didn't stop this week after a 25-point performance against 12-ranked Texas A&M, except this time, they won. Just believe in the process. Richard shot 9 for 13 from the floor, and the Gators had five double-digit scorers in the impressive 89-79 victory. Something tells me College Gameday being in town inspired the team to avenge the loss earlier in the week. Thomas Haugh continued his impressive streak at the end of the season with 17 points, and Alijah Martin contributed his usual 14 points per game. 

Florida is now 25-4, 12-4 in SEC play, and ranked 5th in the country. To say this season is a success so far is an understatement. But now it's time to take it to the next level by finishing the season off strong against 7th-ranked Alabama and Ole Miss. Please don't let me down again like the Georgia game.

2/23/2025

There are only 2 weeks left in the season, and the Gators are winning the Natty. Of course, this is a humorous statement, but if any year were to happen, it's now. Florida is now 24-3, 11-3 in SEC play and 2nd in SEC and in the Nation. To add to the number two presented many times already, the Gators had two double-digit victories this week against Oklahoma at home and LSU on the road. It was an easier matchup week, but the dominance continues. 

The Sooners were proven to be the boss of the O'Connell Center, the boss of losing anyway, 85-63, extending their losing streak to 5. The Gators continued to play without star Alex Condon and bench player Sam Alexis, both boot buddies on the bench. That didn't slow them down, as they almost doubled Oklahoma's score in the first 46-24. Walter Clayton Jr. led the scoring with 18 points and 4 3-pointers. Shout out to the Slovenian God Urban Klavzar, who scored double-digits for the first time off the bench in this game. I promise we will one day look upon him like Luka Doncic.

Baton Rouge also happens to be Gator territory, surprisingly. 79-65 was the final score, but LSU led the first half 37-31. Florida dominated in the paint 44-24; this was to make up for the first time in 6 games they did not hit as many as 10 3's. I guess it makes sense that Rebeun Chinyelu was the leading scorer. He scored a career-high 19 with 13 rebounds, while Thomas Haugh's hot streak of games continued with 16 points in the starting lineup.

Florida will be at Georgia (16-11), then back home against 7th-ranked Texas A&M (20-7) next week.

2/11/2025

It's so nice they had to do it twice. For the second time this season, the Florida Gators have defeated the No.1 team in the country, this time on the road in Auburn. This week may be the best week of my life. Earlier in the week, a win against Vanderbilt began these masterpiece performances, this win came without star Walter Clayton Jr. being out. Did I mention Alijah Martin didn’t play against Auburn? Yeah, we’re pretty good even without our stars. 

Will Richard took over the scoring role in the 86-75 victory over Vanderbilt. He dominated Vanderbilt's defense with a 21-point performance, shooting 8 for 12 from the court. Alex Condon, the upcoming sophomore, added on 19, with Denzel Aberdeen, who was pushed into the starting lineup for Clayton, contributed 13 points. Vanderbilt is a scary matchup for anyone in the SEC this season, but it didn’t matter when the O Dome was as electric as it was that night. 

Then, the grand performance, the defeat of the Tigers. With this win, Florida’s chances for an SEC title stay alive, defeating them 90-81. Walter Clayton entered like he never left, getting hot in the first half and ending with 19 points. Five players finished in double-digits for Florida, starred by another outstanding performance from Condon with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and a too-small celebration on Johni Broome. He's that guy. Thomas Haugh, off the bench, scored a stupendous 16 points; the big men were killing it.  

Now at 20-3 on the season, the Gators are in the final stretch before the SEC Tournament and March Madness.  

2/4/2025

Florida fans, don't worry. We may have lost to Tennessee by 20, but we beat them by 30—motivation, I guess.

The Gators traveled to Knoxville to take on the 17-4 Volunteers after destroying them at home earlier in the season. This eventually ended up as the worst loss of the year, 64-44, bringing Florida's SEC record to 5-3. When your highest-scoring player scores only 10, yes, Walter Clayton, who tweaked his ankle missing the end of the game, it's most likely not an excellent performance. 

44 is the season's lowest point total by far, made possible by shooting an astounding 24% from the field. It's almost as bad as how Tennessee shot in Gainesville. Alijah Martin couldn't make a shot to save his life, and Will Richard was hounded by the Tennessee defense, only shooting 2 times the entire game. At least Tomas Haugh got double-digit rebounds, but Florida also fell short of the rebound battle. Did I mention Tennessee was missing two starters, Zakai Zeigler and Igor Milicic Jr.? 

It's not the prettiest performance for the crew; they will have to make it up with a win against Vanderbilt at home. Walter Clayton, please heal up fast.  

1/26/2025

Florida men's basketball felt much like a rollercoaster this week. The ride makes me feel sick, but the result leaves me wanting more.

The South Carolina Gamecocks gave the Gators a run for their money earlier in the week. Down by as much as 14 with 12:46 left in the 2nd half, Florida only held the lead the last 5 seconds of the game, winning 70-69 after an acrobatic layup from Will Richard. Richard scored 10 of his 22 in the final stretch to put another win on the season. South Carolina fans must be sick, but something tells me they aren't striving for more of the roller coaster ride like myself. 

Just when fans thought it couldn't get any more dramatic, longtime rival Georgia entered the O'Connell Center to stop the Gator's historic start. This game did not end this streak, nor did it end dramatically, with a 30-point whooping of the Bulldogs 89-59 bringing the winning streak to 12 against Georgia. The intensity was back after the scare from the last-place SEC team. A 25-point lead was accumulated in the first half off of 17 points from Alijah Martin, all of his points coming in the first half. Walter Clayton Jr. matched Martin's 17 points with five assists and steals, while Will Richard, Alex Condon, and Thomas Haugh scored double-digits. This game's stat sheet struggled to fit all these large numbers. 

The Gators are now 18-2, tying their best record that last happened in the 2013-14 season and 4 times in program history. Florida going into Tennessee and beating the Volunteers in the next game could mark the best start. I can't wait to watch history.  

1/19/2025

Everything that goes up must come down, just like my hopes for another undefeated week for the Gators. Missouri entered the O'Connell Center and shocked the Gators with an upset win of 83-82. The Gators were their own worst enemy. They missed more free throws than I missed my alarm in the morning.

Walter Clayton Jr. was the only player to score consistently, with a whopping 28 points. On top of an almost-perfect performance from Missouri's Caleb Grill, scoring 22 points and draining six threes, the Tigers were unstoppable. When that man got the ball, the whole arena felt a shiver down their spine.  

With the surprise loss, however, the Gators had to remind Texas that they're still one of the top contenders in the country. Florida ended Texas in a landslide victory 84-60. The team looked more like themselves in this game. Alijah Martin put up an impressive 22 points alongside Clayton's 19. Alex Condon posted another double-double to his season with 11 points and 12 rebounds. The game finished with the Florida stands waving their "horns down" in celebration. 

The Gators' expectations are as high as ever at 16-2 over halfway through the season. Hopefully, not so high as to miss any more free throws. 

1/11/2025

With Florida's perfect season ending last week, it was only fitting the Gators would end the final undefeated streak in Division I college basketball. The Gators opened play with an astounding 30-point victory over the number 1 ranked Tennessee Volunteers; a beatdown so bad it feels like it took us all back to simpler times—specifically, 1968, the last time a No. 1 ranked team lost by 30 or more. For context, the same year Richard Nixon got voted into office, yikes.  

Tennessee shot an abysmal 21.4% from the field and converted 4-29 3-pointers the whole night. They couldn't have found the basket with a GPS.

The Gators took advantage of this lackluster performance. Although not shooting lights out, 3 double-digit scorers were enough to get a win, led by 18 from the star transfer senior Alijah Martin. Denzel Aberdeen contributed his season high of 16, and Alex Condon provided a 12-point double-double with 12 rebounds.  

Florida took this momentum into Arkansas and beat the Razorbacks on the road 71-63. Despite the lowest-scoring performances of the season for the Gators this week, SEC competition is beginning to tremble at the sight of Florida on their schedule. The Razorbacks got shut down in Fayetteville thanks to 14 from the Gator's most proficient scorer as of recently, Alijah Martin. You can't forget double-digit performances from Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, or Alex Condon either.  

However, one fact that has been consistent between wins is that rebounding has been Florida's strong suit, besides winning, of course. The Gators currently lead the country in rebounds with 46.1 per game, starring big men Alex Condon (8.1 RPG) and center Rebuen Chinyelu (7.3 RPG). Crashing the boards comes easier to these guys than the rest of the country.  

Florida comes home to play 13-3 Missouri, tied with the Gators in the SEC at 2-1. Something tells me the home fan gator chomps may throw the Tigers out of their rhythm.  

Joke of the Week: Tennessee volunteered to give Florida a win with that awful shooting performance, hosting what might be the first ever brick-only charity event. 

1/5/2025

At least we can say Oklahoma isn't undefeated anymore, either. Florida lost their first season in a shootout against Kentucky 106-100. The hot start of the Gators finally came to an end. Every controlled fire must be stopped to prevent a wildfire; I tell myself as I weep in the shadows. 

The Gators were off to a usual hot start, leading 26-15 halfway through the first half, until the Wildcats decided to channel their inner Gordon Ramsey and start cooking.

A three by their leading scorer, Koby Brea, sparked a 16-0 run that put Kentucky in the lead that wouldn't be given up for the rest of the game. Senior guard Koby Brea nailed seven shots from behind the 3-point arc to pace the team with 23 points while each starter reached double-figure scoring. They shot 57.8% from the floor and 48.3% from 3. Those numbers could be considered pretty unstoppable on offense. 

The incredible scoring efforts of Walter Clayton Jr. (33 points, 6 3-pointers) and Alijah Martin (26 points, 5 3-pointers) weren't enough to stop the Wildcats. The key to the Gators' loss was their poor free-throw percentage, shooting 22-35, numbers that won't win many close games. Also, points allowed off turnovers, which was 20 compared to the Gators 6. That's like bringing a Nerf gun to a paintball fight. 

The last undefeated team in the SEC: Tennessee, is next on the schedule. No pressure or anything, but if the Gators can pull the upset, they'll make a lot of people think they're serious contenders. And if they don't, well, at least Oklahoma's still not undefeated. Small wins, right? 

Tyler's Funny: What’s the silver lining in the Gators losing their first game of the season? Not much, just a free pass to sulk this week.  

12/29/2024

The season's prologue has come to an end with a victory over the Stetson Hatters. 13-0, the best start since the 2005-06 season, known as the flip phone era.

The Gators have exceeded expectations all year and look to continue this hot streak into the SEC competition.  

An 85-45 victory over the Hatters saw many bench players get playing time, including Urban Klavzar, Kajus Kublickas, and Isiah Brown, combining for 14 points. That's right, the reserves were serving them up.

There were three double-digit players, including the dominant trio of Walter Clayton Jr with 12, Will Richard with 17, and Alijah Martin with 18. The Gators shot 50.7% from the field, and the tenacious defense held the Hatters to a measly 26%. Fans in the crowd behind the Stetson bench reported chilly temperatures as their team was ice cold.  

The Kentucky Wildcats will be the first-ranked opponent of the season for Florida next week in Kentucky. Pack your popcorn; it's bound to be a showdown.  

Joke of the Week: This was a boring week for college basketball. It looks like the Gators needed a break from making their opponents look like they're still recovering from holiday dinners.  

12/23/20241

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Florida prepared for the toughest test of the season so far, and it is safe to say they aced it. The Gators ended victorious in the Jumpman Invitational Event against North Carolina 90-84, their closest win of the season. Sorry, MJ, your alma mater is no match for these gritty Gators.

The undefeated streak stayed alive against North Florida, scoring 54 in the first half and ending with a 99-45 victory. 12-0, not too shabby.

The Gators proved they can toughen out close games against the Tar Heels, a necessary skill for the daunting SEC schedule in January. Florida led by 12 in the first half, then the impressive efforts of the guard duo of RJ Davis and Ian Jackson brought the team back, leading with less than 2 minutes to go. The experience for Florida pulled through with a 22-point effort from Will Richard, shooting 8-10, and an additional 19 from Alijah Martin. Walter Clayton Jr. and Denzel Aberdeen rounded out the Gator’s double-digit scorers with 12 a piece. North Carolina is quite allergic to winning big-time games.

North Florida entered the game as a top-10 scoring team in the nation. As one can easily predict, this is no longer the case. Will Richard continued his week’s domination with a career-high 26 points and shot an impressive 9-12, draining 6 3-pointers. Alex Condon, Sam Alexis, and Thomas Haugh bullied the Ospreys bigs in the paint, each contributing a double-double on the stat sheet with points and rebounds. The big three amounted to 16 offensive rebounds, over twice the amount of the entire North Florida squad. They may want to consider a “Jumping for Rebounds” practice session.

2-10 Stetson is the last game on the schedule until the conference games begin. Hopefully, the Hatters will appear in Gainesville after watching their previous game. Forfeit wins are no fun.

Tyler's Funny: According to ESPN Analytics, Stetson has a 1% chance to beat Florida–so basically there is still a chance, but only if the Gator’s decide to play blindfolded selected.

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12/15/2024

When the core 3 players of the Gators score 15 or more points each, defeating them is next to impossible. The Gators made easy work of the Arizona State Sun Devils at the Holiday Hoopsgiving Event in Atlanta, cruising to an 83-66 victory. Florida is now in double-digit win territory at 10-0, with every win being in the double digits; talk about domination.

Walter Clayton Jr. led the team with 25 points, firing from the 3-point line 13 times and draining 5. Clayton’s averaging 23 points in his last 4 games, and his newest dominant performance marks the fifth 20+ point performance of the season. Coach Todd Golden may have to consider carrying a fire extinguisher on the bench, as Clayton’s jersey has been seen smoking throughout the season.

Senior guard Will Richard scored 16 points, while Alijah Martin filled the stat sheet, posting his first double-double as a Gator with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Sam Alexis and Thomas Haugh combined for 14 off the bench in the winning effort, reminding future opponents you can’t only be scared of the starters.

The prestigious Jumpman Invitational is next on the schedule, as the 6-4 North Carolina Tar Heels will attempt to give the Florida Gators their first loss in Charlotte. This win would be massive for the Gators and their continuous climbing in the rankings as they look to finish out their non-conference games undefeated.

Tyler's Funny: Holiday Hoopsgiving? I’d reckon Arizona State left Atlanta with a lack of gifts from their Christmas list.

12/7/2024

The Gators needed just one game this week to prove they're still a force. Losing two years in a row to Virginia wasn't an option. Revenge served. This SEC/ACC Men’s Challenge game resulted in a 87-69 loss for the Cavaliers, bringing their record to 5-3, while Florida improved to 9-0. This is the best program start since the 2005 Gators team that went on to win their first NCAA title. This 9-0 record additionally goes along with being named number 13 in the AP top 25. It may be premature comparison, but hey, anything is possible.  

Walter Clayton Jr., the well-known star for the Gators, dominated this game with 27 points, including a 4-point play in the second half that drained the hope from Virginia fans, if any, watching the game. Alex Condon kept the heat on with a 19-point performance with an impressive 7-8 shot attempts. An additional 16 from Alijah Martin and 12 from Denzel Aberdeen sealed the Cavalier's fate. In the 9 games this year, the team has improved in every single stat except for 3-point shooting, which has only dropped an unnoticed 0.6%. The most notable jump is steals, as 6.7 has increased to 8.2. Half the steals are coming from the persistent defensive efforts of Alijah Martin and Will Richard, averaging 2 steals a game. Good luck dribbling around those guys.  

Another formidable opponent enters the swamp next week, the 8-1 Arizona State Sun Devils. Currently, they are first in the Big 12 Standings. Do they have what it takes to beat Florida? Probably not.  

Tyler's Funny:

SEC/ACC Men’s Challenge? Yeah, might want to rename that the “SEC Training Camp Event”.  

12/1/2024

The Gators came out on top of the ESPN Events Invitational, otherwise known as the college Mickey Mouse championship event, with wins against Wake Forest and Wichita State, improving their record to 8-0. Wake Forest seemed to present as the hardest challenge of so far coming into the game 6-1, but ended up being no challenge. 75-58 was the final score, marking the first time the Florida defense held an opponent to under 60 points this season. This defensive trend continued into the championship against undefeated Wichita State, dominating 88-51 in which the starters were pulled halfway through the second half, yikes. A 27-0 run sums up how this game went for Wichita State Shockers, what a shocker. 

Walter Clayton was named the ESPN Events Invitational MVP as the leading scorer averaging 20 points per game and 17.4 on the season. Alex Condon served as Clayton’s wingman averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds, continuing his impressive sophomore season, what is a sophomore slump? Reuben Chinyelu racked up his first double-double as a Gator as well. As the Gators finish the first quarter of the season, their 8-0 record drastically increases the pressure to perform, but this gritty squad seems up to the challenge.  

Walter Clayton Jr. is now the proud owner of a Mickey Mouse MVP award; watch out LeBron, you're now not the only one with a side hustle collecting Disney hardware. 

11/24/2024

What else is there to say? The Gators can play some good basketball. 6-0 is the best start to the Todd Golden era by far and doesn’t look to slow down anytime soon. The Gators capitalized two more wins at home this week against Florida A&M 84-60 and Southern Illinois 93-68. The scoring spree hasn’t halted either; the offense has averaged over 88 points per game, putting up points like taking candy from a baby. To top off this perfect start, the Gators are only 1 of 3 teams in the SEC with a 6-0 record.  

Tuesday night against FAMU started like a Formula One race car driver with the foot on the gas, leading 46-22. The second half slowed down the momentum for the Gators, hitting a few curbs more like a student driver. However, the lead was too much for the Rattlers to make up. Rebounding consistency continued from last week, with four players having 7+ rebounds, controlling the glass 47-36. The Gators also had four players in double-digit scoring, an impressive trend this season, led by senior duo Will Richard with 20 and Walter Clayton Jr. with 17. Additionally, freshman Isiah Brown scored his first collegiate buckets, contributing 9 points in the win. Welcome to the Swamp. 

The Gators maintained first-half dominance later in the week leading the Southern Illinois Salukis 46-25. Alijah Martin tallied a season-high 32 points and was a cheat code from the 3-point line, sinking eight, the most in his career and second most in Florida history. He shot an impressive 11/19 from the field, and his stellar performance now makes Martin the leading scorer for the Gators this year, with 16.7 points per game. Sophomore forward Thomas Haugh also set a career-high of 19 points and sank three shots from behind the line. It was a low-scoring effort from the usually high-scoring senior duo Clayton Jr. and Richard, but that didn’t stop Florida from finishing with the second most points in a game this season with 93.  

This upcoming week will be the toughest test yet, set to face 5-1 Wake Forest and 3-2 Virginia, both teams the Gators lost to last season. I smell revenge on the menu. Go Gators.  

Tyler's Funny: 

Those FAMU Rattlers didn’t look too good after slithering into the Gator-filled swamps of Gainesville; not even college basketball can avoid the food chain.  

11/17/2024

Despite the serious accusations against head coach Todd Golden, this team hasn't slowed down. The Gators are off to a hot 4-0 start, and the offense looks great, if not better than last year. Florida defeated Grambling on Monday 86-62, then rival Florida State in Tallahassee 87-74 on Friday. The team's rebounding efforts improved drastically this week, putting up 39 more rebounds than both opponents. These efforts were led by sophomore forward Alex Condon, who averaged 10 rebounds in these two games. 

One thing shown across the roster is consistency. Florida fans know this team runs through Walter Clayton Jr., but when he's not his best night, the others make up for it. Center transfer Rueben Chinyelu had been quiet the first two games, but against Grambling, he outscored Clayton and tied his career-high of 14 points, leading the team in scoring. In this match, the team operated as a charity event as 5 players scored in the double digits, 'You get a basket! Everyone gets a basket!'. Against Florida State, however, Clayton made Tallahassee his city, scoring 25 points and 4 threes in a masterclass performance. Alijah Martin put up his season-high 17 in the impressive win, rounded out by a solid performance from Sam Alexis with 12 off the bench. freshman acquisition Urban Klavzar, an ex-Slovenian pro player, was cleared by the NCAA to play, making his debut in this game and scoring his first collegiate points. 

In other news, Golden announced 7', 9" Oliver Rioux would be redshirting his first season. Sad news for Florida fans, as they won't be able to see Rioux make Gator opponents look like children on the court. Florida A&M and Southern Illinois are the opponents for the Gator's third week of the season as they look to chomp down on their next opponents. FSU Barstool...where is the Carolina Reaper video?

11/10/2024

The Gators pulled out a 98-83 win against the gritty opponent of USF in the Jacksonville Sports Foundation Invitational Monday night. The Gators got off to a slow start, shooting poorly from the 3-point line. The tenacious South Florida defense forced many poor shots while their own shots continued to fall, gaining a 13-point lead halfway through the first half. An inspired 8-point solo run by Will Richard seemed to fuel the Gator's comeback, only trailing by 1 point into the second half. Transitioning aggressively to attacking the rim was clearly noticeable for the Gators, getting into the bonus only 8 minutes into the second half. After a USF timeout to halt the Gator's comeback, Todd Golden ran to center court and hyped up the crowd, resulting in excitement from Gator's fans that could almost match returning home to your favorite homemade meal.  

Walter Clayton ended the game with an impressive 29-point performance, shooting 10-15 from the field and perfect from the line. Clayton was only 4 points away from tying his career-high 33 against Colorado last year in March Madness. Will Richard joined the 20+ club in Jacksonville with a career-high 25 points. Richard led the team in minutes with 36 and tallied up 6 rebounds. The star duo combined for over half of the Gator's overall points. FAU transfer Alijah Martin and rising sophomore Alex Condon, contributing 13 points each. Martin struggled from the floor, missing all his 6 attempts from the 3-point line. Most of his points came from the free throw line, taking advantage of the early bonus, and racked up an impressive 4 steals to solidify his impact. Alex Condon showed continued improvement from his impressive freshman year off the bench, killing in the paint with 5 offensive rebounds with only 22 minutes of playtime after early foul trouble. The Gators transfer center Rueben Chinyelu was quiet in his debut, scoring only 2 points after 15 minutes of play. Chinyelu still looks to figure out how to integrate himself into this offense, taking injured Center Micah Handlogten's role from last year. Big shoes to fill, literally. 

Thomas Haugh headlined the Gator's bench during his 30 minutes of playtime. He didn't contribute much, a mere 2 points on the stat sheet, but his effort clearly impacted the game as Chinyelu continued to progress. Chattanooga transfer Sam Alexis counted for 6 points and 4 rebounds while returning player Denzel Aberdeen scored 8. 16 points combined from the bench shows the reliance for scoring that the Gators offense has on its star players.  

. . . . .

I'm not sure who's better at stealing, Alijah Martin in his first two games as a Gator, or my dogs with my leftovers… 

UF continued their win streak in the season's home opener at the O'Connell Center, defeating the Jacksonville Dolphins 81-60. This win was highlighted by Alex Condon's career-high 23 points, shooting a perfect 7-7 from the field. Condon looks to improve his free throw percentages(7-12) but showed impressive attributes to get to the line within 25 minutes. The Dolphins, however, impressed with offensive rebounding skills throughout, including a combined seven from 6' 9 forwards Stephon Payne III and Kendall Munson. Condon's five offensive rebounds in the season opener didn't continue, as he totaled none in this matchup. The Dolphins kept it close halfway through the first half, but the Gators displayed an incredible shooting improvement, going 16-25 in the first and pulling away for the remainder.  

The Gators had another four players in the double digits this game, introducing Sam Alexis and removing Walter Clayton Jr. from the assortment of players. Clayton passed around the love this game, only attempting 8 shots and had 7 assists, more than any game last season. It is acceptable to have only 9 points when all everyone will remember after this game is his insane poster dunk. Sam Alexis scored 10 off the bench and led the team with 7 rebounds, while Will Richard scored 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Alijah Martin improved his poor shooting performance with 15 points on 5-9 from the floor while achieving 6 steals. Averaging 5 steals through 2 games is no easy feat, and he looks to continue contributing to the team.  

The Florida Gators improved to 2-0 after the expected win against Jacksonville University, and they are looking to go 4-0 after Grambling and Florida State are on the schedule this upcoming week.  

10/27/2024

Colorado takes the shot from the right baseline; it bounces around the rim for a few seconds… it’s in. No! But with 1.7 seconds the Gators still have a prayer. Walter heaves it the length of the court and . . . no good. A heartbreaking ending for the Florida. Ugh. 

Todd Golden’s successful second year as Florida’s head coach came to a bittersweet end in the round of 64, losing 102-100 to Colorado. After a much improved 24-12 record and SEC Tournament finals appearance for the first time since 2014, concerns for the franchise’s future became rampant. The Gators lost graduate guard Zyon Pullin, who signed a two-way deal with the Miami Heat and graduate forward Tyrese Samuel, who became an unrestricted free agent for the NBA. Sophomore guard Riley Kugel transferred to SEC opponent Mississippi State, and starting center Micah Handlogten suffered a gruesome leg injury in the SEC Tournament, ending his 2024-25 season. The cherry on top was that leading scorer Walter Clayton Jr. and starter Will Richard declared for the NBA draft after their junior years. With so much uncertainty for the program, would the upward trend of the Gators take a halt?  

Luckily for the Gators, the star duo used their eligibility to return for their senior years. After the offseason scares, Coach Golden has expressed positivity for the new team. Florida returns 58% of total production from the previous year, ranking 3rd in the SEC. This statistic is as vital as ever, considering a whopping 8 team opponents in the division enter the season in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, with Florida at 21. To make another run at an SEC championship appearance will be a bloodbath, but hopes are sky high, aligned with 7’ 9” freshmen commit Oliver Rioux’s line of sight. 

Star transfer Alijah Martin, guard from FAU, will join the dynamic duo. He previously led his team to the Final four and received the 2023 NCAA All-Tournament Team award, bringing immediate deep tournament experience to the squad. With a solidified backcourt and Will Richard at the wing, Todd Golden noted that the program would be led by these three stars. Sophomore transfer Rueben Chinyelu, who showed promise in his limited 12 starts at Washington State, should take over the starting center role. The lineup projection is rounded out by sophomore forward Alex Condon after impressing off the bench during his freshman year. The underclassmen frontcourt will be the main transition issue for this squad. The bench will expect increased roles from returning sophomore forward Thomas Haugh and junior guard Denzel Aberdeen, with transfer forward Sam Alexis joining the cause. 

Significant strides are hoped to be made for Florida this season as they look to continue their momentum as a top offense in the nation while improving their defensive abilities.

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