#21 Florida Men’s Basketball (1-0) vs. Jacksonville (1-0)
Florida Game Notes<https://floridagators.com/documents/2024/11/6/2024.11.07_Jacksonville.pdf> | 2024-25 Media Guide<https://floridagators.com/documents/2024/10/21/2024-25_Media_Guide.pdf> | Courtesy Photos & Press Conferences<https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/rb8ojhaf9ygpi6d0k3c9e/ANF6-ow4Wppu1j1zjAsnMXA?rlkey=g1esu5ww8r31yd8dyekcik5iw&st=3b1ht5u5&dl=0>
Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center | Gainesville, Fla.
Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 | 8 p.m.
Streaming
SEC Network+ | ESPN App<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/4b06d892-f689-4c69-ae2c-8c1654d5912a>
Play-by-Play: Kyle Crooks | Analyst: Mark Wise
Radio
Gators Sports Network from LEARFIELD | FloridaGators.com<https://floridagators.com/showcase?Live=5527> | SiriusXM 158/190 & SiriusXM App<https://sxm.app.link/SXM960>
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley | Analyst: Lee Humphrey | Producer/Engineer: Steve Egan
The Tip-Off
* Florida returns to Gainesville for its home opener on the heels of a 98-83 neutral-site win vs. South Florida in Jacksonville on Monday. The Gators have won both previous home openers under Todd Golden, and UF has a 10-2 home record vs. nonconference opponents under Golden.
* The Gators have won four straight in the series with JU, but the teams have not met since Dec. 22, 2015, which was during Jordan Mincy’s first season on the Florida coaching staff. Mincy spent six seasons on Florida’s coaching staff from 2015-21 and helped lead four NCAA Tournament teams while with the Gators (2017, ’18, ’19, ’21).
* UF used an explosive 59-point second half to secure the season-opening win vs. USF on Monday. While the Gators struggled from 3-point range, they shot 28-for-37 from 2-point range (.757) while getting to the line and converting to the tune of 27-for-33 (.818).
* Florida had to rally from a 13-point first-half deficit to beat USF, marking the ninth time under Golden that UF has posted a double-digit comeback win.
* Walter Clayton Jr. (29 points) and Will Richard (25) combined for 54 points in the season opener vs. USF, together shooting 20-for-32 (.625) from the field. It marked the first time since Jan. 22, 2019, vs. Texas A&M that two Gators went for 25+ points in a game (KeVaughn Allen 31, Noah Locke 27).
* Florida has won 33 consecutive home openers, its last such loss coming to Texas on Nov. 27, 1990.
2024-25 at a Glance
* Florida enters its third season under head coach Todd Golden, looking to build on its 24-win NCAA Tournament season in 2023-24, the team’s most wins since the 2016-17 season. The Gators boast a backcourt trio of 1,000-point scorers in Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and FAU grad transfer Alijah Martin.
* The Gators return leading scorer and All-SEC guard Walter Clayton Jr., who posted 17.6 points per game and knocked down 93 3-pointers. Fellow starter Will Richard also returns coming off a 11.4 scoring average with 70 3-point field goals last season.
* With starting center Micah Handlogten slated to take a redshirt year due to a leg injury, sophomores Alex Condon (2023-24 SEC All-Freshman, 2024-25 preseason third-team All-SEC) and Thomas Haugh look to make a jump in their second season in Gainesville.
* Denzel Aberdeen returns to the backcourt, boosted by his career game in the SEC Tournament semifinals where he dropped in 20 points vs. Texas A&M. Kajus Kublickas competed with Lithuania this summer at FIBA U20 EuroBasket, starting at point guard and helping his home nation to a 5-2 record and fifth place finish.
* Florida ranked No. 21 in EvanMiya.com’s overall transfer activity, bringing in Final Four guard Alijah Martin (FAU) and big men Rueben Chinyelu (Washington State) and Sam Alexis (Chattanooga).
* Freshman Isaiah Brown from Orlando adds winning experience and another in-state team member. Florida also brings in a pair of European freshmen, with guard Urban Klavzar coming off a silver medal and all-tournament team effort for Slovenia in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket where he averaged 16.1 points per game. The Gators also add Serbian big man Viktor Mikic, who competed at Chattanooga’s Hamilton Heights as a senior.
* Bennett Andersen and Cooper Josefsberg return to the team in the walk-on role, along with newcomers Olivier Rioux (freshman) and Kevin Pazmino (sophomore).
* Florida’s coaching staff of Carlin Hartman, Korey McCray, Kevin Hovde, John Andrzejek and Taurean Green all return in their roles this season. Jordan Jacobson has been promoted to director of basketball operations and Nolan Crist to video coordinator, while Jon Michelini becomes the head athletic trainer following Duke Werner’s move into administration.
