The 2025-26 season opener for both programs will be featured in the Hall of Fame Series, which will also stage events in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Boston, and Phoenix over the next six weeks. The UF-Arizona matchup will serve as the first game of a double-header, followed by Villanova vs. No. 8 Brigham Young, led by rising NIL freshman standout AJ Dybantsa, in the nightcap.

In just his third season, Coach Todd Golden - Men's Basketball Coach - Florida Gators (76-33) guided the Gators to the 2025 national championship. Meanwhile, the Wildcats, under Tommy Lloyd (112-33) in his fourth year, finished 24-13, fell to NCAA runner-up Houston in the Big 12 Tournament championship game, and advanced to the Sweet 16 as the No. 4 seed in the NCAA East Region before being eliminated by top-seeded Duke.

Arizona enters the season among a group of Big 12 contenders that includes Texas Tech, Iowa State, Kansas, and BYU, with Houston regarded as the favorite to capture the league title. The UF-Arizona clash stands out as the only game on college basketball’s opening night to feature two ranked teams.

Tale of the Tape

The Breakdown 

Florida brings back four of the top eight contributors from its NCAA championship rotation. Leading the group are first-team preseason All-American Alex Condon and postseason standout Thomas Haugh, joined by starting center Rueben Chinyelu and versatile 7-1 reserve Micah Handlogten. Together, this front court has the potential to be among the nation’s best. With three of the four expected to see heavy minutes, the Gators should rank as one of the premier rebounding teams in college basketball, particularly on the offensive glass.

Attention will also be on UF’s new-look backcourt featuring transfers Boogie Fland (Arkansas) and Xaivian Lee (Princeton). Fland will handle the primary point guard duties, while Lee will also see opportunities to run the offense. Their shooting consistency, especially in capitalizing on second-chance opportunities created by offensive rebounds, will be critical in determining whether Florida is simply a strong team or capable of repeating as championship caliber.

Junior guard Urban Klavzar has impressed with his shooting throughout the offseason, and that success carried into both closed-scrimmage victories, where he delivered a barrage of 3-pointers. Freshman wing CJ Ingram is considered the rookie to watch, though fellow freshman guard Alex Lloyd has shown promise as a player who could steadily improve as the season progresses, provided he earns the minutes.

Arizona, meanwhile, returns three starters, highlighted by guard Jaden Bradley, who transferred from Alabama two years ago. Bradley scored 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including two made 3-pointers, in the team’s 81-68 exhibition win over Saint Mary’s two weeks ago. Forward Tobe Awaka, who averaged 8.0 points and a team-leading 7.8 rebounds across 36 starts after transferring from Tennessee last season, missed the exhibition games due to injury. That absence gave Tommy Lloyd a chance to evaluate Lithuanian big man Motiejus Krivas, now healthy after season-ending foot surgery last January.

Arizona also welcomed a six-player freshman class ranked among the nation’s top five. McDonald’s All-Americans Koa Peat and Brayden Burries have already stepped into starting roles. Bryce James, son of LeBron James, is part of the class but is not expected to play. Against Saint Mary’s, Peat, a physically imposing forward, and Burries, a skilled offensive guard, each scored 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting, with Burries adding seven rebounds and two steals.

Numbers of Note