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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