#20/19 Florida Men’s Basketball (3-0) at Florida State (3-0)
Florida Game Notes<https://floridagators.com/documents/2024/11/14/2024.11.15_atFSU.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>
Donald L. Tucker Center | Tallahassee, Fla.
Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 | 6 p.m.
Streaming
ACC Network | ESPN App<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/9e418dc8-33f3-4cd9-9dac-0612218ab046>
Play-by-Play: Doug Sherman | Analyst: Randolph Childress
Radio
Gators Sports Network from LEARFIELD | FloridaGators.com<https://floridagators.com/showcase?Live=5530> | SiriusXM 106/191 & SiriusXM App<https://sxm.app.link/SXM961>
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley | Analyst: Lee Humphrey | Producer/Engineer: Steve Egan
The Tip-Off
* Florida enters Friday’s game with a 3-0 mark, its first such start since the 2021-22 season. The Gators have also won three straight in the series with Florida State, including a 2-0 record under Todd Golden. Golden looks to become the first UF coach to win his first three games vs. FSU since Tommy Bartlett, who started in 1966.
* Florida’s most recent visit to Tallahassee saw the Gators rally from a 19-point deficit to win the game, the fourth-largest comeback win in UF history.
* Walter Clayton Jr. has made 99 3-pointers through his first 39 games at UF and looks to join Dorian Finney-Smith (159), Will Richard (125) and Jalen Hudson (122) as the only transfers to tally 100 treys at UF.
* Eight Gators scored eight or more points in Monday’s win vs. Jacksonville, including Rueben Chinyelu’s 14 points, which matched his career high.
* The Gators have three individual 20-point performances this season as Walter Clayton Jr. went for 29 and Will Richard for 25 against USF, while Alex Condon posted a career-best 23 points vs. Jacksonville.
* UF used an explosive 59-point second half to secure the season-opening win vs. USF. 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).
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.
