Nov 6 (Mon) 8 PM Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD Florida vs Loyola Maryland Gainesville, FL Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center Loyola (MD) vs. Florida 11/6/23 - NCAA Men's Basketball Live Stream on Watch ESPN HEAD COACH Todd Golden 16-17 | 2nd season at UF 73-53 | 5th season overall Tavaras Hardy 59-85 | 6th season at Loyola/overall MATCHUP BASICS All-Time Series: 0-0 All-Time vs. Patriot League: 9-1 Season Openers under Golden: 1-0 Last vs. Patriot League: W vs. Army, 76-69, 12/2/20 (Neutral) BROADCAST INFO Watch Listen Live Stats Tickets Pregame Notes
NUMBERS OF NOTE3,793 Florida’s five transfers bring a combined 3,793 career points scored to the Gators, led by Zyon Pullin’s 1,312 over his four seasons at UC Riverside. 24With 7-foot-1 center Micah Handlogten joining the Gators this season, it marks the first time in 24seasons Florida has had a 7-footer on its roster (1989-90, Dwayne Schintzius Sophomore guard Riley Kugel, a preseason All-SEC and Jerry West Award Watch List honoree, finished his freshman season with 10 straight games in double figures, averaging 17.3 points over that final stretch. 17.3With 7-foot-1 center Micah Handlogten joining the Gators this season, it marks the first time in 24 seasons Florida has had a 7-footer on its roster (1989-90, Dwayne Schintzius)
FLORIDA RETURNERS# Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Min. Pts. Reb. Misc. 2 Riley Kugel G 6-5 207 So. 23.0 9.9 2.8 1.1 3fg 5 Will Richard G 6-4 206 Jr. 27.8 10.4 4.5 1.6 3fg 11 Denzel Aberdeen G 6-5 190 So. 3.4 1.6 0.3 0.2 ast 13 Aleks Szymczyk F 6-10 250 So. 7.7 2.1 1.3 0.5 stl 2023 TRANSFER CLASS # Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Min. Pts. Reb. Misc. 0 Zyon Pullin G 6-4 206 Gr. 33.9 18.3 4.4 4.2 ast 1 Walter Clayton Jr. G 6-2 195 Jr. 30.3 16.8 4.3 2.3 3fg 3 Micah Handlogten C 7-1 235 So. 25.3 7.6 9.8 2.3 blk 4 Tyrese Samuel F 6-10 239 Gr. 23.9 11.0 5.9 .550 fg% 23 Julian Rishwain G 6-5 200 Gr. 19.9 5.0 2.4 0.9 3fg 2022-23 stats with previous school listed
THE TIP-OFF• Florida opens its 2023-24 campaign with a revamped roster, welcoming eight new scholarship players to join its quartet of returners. • This will mark the first all-time meeting with Loyola Maryland and the Gators’ first Patriot League opponent since defeating Army in Dec. 2020 at Bubbleville in Uncasville, Conn. • Sophomore standout Riley Kugel earned preseason All-SEC honors after averaging 17.3 points over the final 10 games of last season. • The Gators look to improve to 2-0 in season openers under Golden
2023-24 OUTLOOK• Florida moves into its second season under head coach Todd Golden, who led the Gators to a pair of top-25 wins and a postseason berth in his first season leading the program. • The Gators had a busy spring in the transfer portal, bringing in one of the top transfer classes in the nation, along with its freshman class. • Florida returns four scholarship players, including a pair of starters in Will Richard and Riley Kugel. • Richard posted 18 double-figure scoring games, including a season-high 24 at Georgia, while Kugel shone late in the season and earned SEC All-Freshman honors after averaging 17.3 points over the last 10 games of the season. • Point guard Denzel Aberdeen and forward Aleks Szymczyk also return as sophomores looking to make a jump. • UF’s transfer class includes guards Walter Clayton Jr., Zyon Pullin and Julian Rishwain along with the frontcourt duo of Micah Handlogten and Tyrese Samuel. • The Gators welcome several freshmen to the program with 6-foot-9 forward Thomas Haugh from Pennsylvania, 6-foot-11 Australian Alex Condon and Lithuanian point guard Kajus Kublickas joining the squad. • Walk-ons Alex Klatsky and Jack May both return, while the Gators also added freshman Cooper Josefsberg and former team manager Bennett Andersen to the roster in the walk-on role. • Golden’s coaching staff enters their second year with the program, including associate head coaches Carlin Hartman and Korey McCray and assistant coach Kevin Hovde. With the NCAA’s expansion of basketball coaching staffs, the Gators also added assistant coaches John Andrzejek and Taurean Green to their on-court staff.
It's finally the first day of the season, I've been waiting very patiently ... ...and I don't get to watch at home. Figures. Hoping I can at least watch on my phone.
I took a look at some of the SEC openers today. Some opponents I actually have never heard of. "South Carolina Upstate"? "Texas A&M-Commerce"? "Arkansas-Pine Bluff?"
I've heard of Arkansas-Pine Bluff before...and i've heard of Loyola Maryland only because I live in maryland...to bad the game wasn't at Loyola
It'll be very interesting to see not only who starts, but the rotation he uses. I know there will be adjustments over the next month or so, but how he uses the players tonight will be based on their performance in practices and scrimmages leading up to opening day. And let's keep all the guys healthy for the entire season! We need that for a change.
In the picks thread, I was surprised at some high scores predicted for us, and some high scores for Loyola MD.
