Thomas Haugh (pictured), along with Alex Condon, Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee, received recognition on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List.
LAS VEGAS – Arizona freshman forward Koa Peat delivered a standout collegiate debut with 30 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while senior point guard Jaden Bradley added 27 points. The 13th-ranked Wildcats showcased a strong, physical performance to defeat the No. 3 and defending NCAA-champion Florida Gators in their season-opening Hall of Fame Series matchup Monday night before a packed crowd at T-Mobile Arena.
Arizona led by eight with one minute left, but the Gators quickly cut the margin with five points. With 35 seconds remaining, sophomore point guard Boogie Fland stole an in-bound pass and had a wide-open corner 3-pointer to tie the game. His shot fell short, and UA guard Anthony Dell'Orso sank two free throws to push the lead back to five. Florida forward Thomas Haugh, who was outstanding with a career-high 27 points, scored again to trim the deficit to three, but Peat sealed the win by hitting three of four free throws in the final 25 seconds.
UF forward Alex Condon with a first-half slam.
Turning Point
Arizona’s decisive 22-9 surge in the first half erased a 12-point UF advantage and ignited the crowd. From that moment on, Florida was forced to play catch-up for nearly the remainder of the contest.
Staggering Statistic
Despite returning its entire front court from last season’s 36-win squad—expected to be among the nation’s top rebounding units—UF was outmatched on the boards. UA claimed a 41-39 edge overall, highlighted by a 21-12 advantage in the first half, when the Wildcats regrouped after trailing by double digits and seized control of the game.
Up Next
Florida (0-1) heads back to Gainesville for its home opener, where the new 2025 NCAA championship banner will hang proudly inside Exactech Arena. The Gators will host North Florida (0-0), representing Jacksonville and the Atlantic Sun Conference. It will mark the season debut for the Ospreys, who are 0-11 all-time against Florida, before they travel six days later to face No. 18 Tennessee.
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu. Find his story archives here.
