The defending champion Florida Gators have some issues to address, but their pedigree is carrying them through the softest part of their schedule.
Add turnovers, fouls, and free-throw shooting to the list of needed improvements for the Florida Gators men's basketball team.
While the reigning national champions upgraded their three-point shooting Sunday night, other negative numbers marred an otherwise satisfactory 82-68 victory over Miami:
- 10 first-half turnovers and a total of 14;
- 23 total fouls, with two starters eventually fouling out;
- and 10 missed free throws.
Fortunately for the Gators (3-1), the season is young and they still have one of the best frontcourts in the nation. Sunday night, Florida's big men and Slovenian guard Urban Klavzar carried the Gators to their third straight win.
"I thought early on, we did a poor job of taking care of the basketball," Gators coach Todd Golden said afterward. "We could've put (Miami) in a bad spot early, but credit to them, they're a uniquely difficult defensive team in terms of the way they can play (when we have) the ball. But we gave them some chances in the first half and even we were up 10 at the half, I thought we should've been up more."
Klavzar to the rescue
The Gators entered the game shooting just 19-of-90 (20 percent) from the arc. Their new starting backcourt of Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland, both transfers, were even worse on Sunday. They went a combined 0-for-10 on three-point attempts and contributed just 13 points.
Lee and Fland also had four of Florida's 10 first-half turnovers.
Enter Klavzar, who had a limited role in last season's run to the national title and is still a sub on this year's squad. Against Miami, he made a strong argument to be a starter.
His three-pointer with 10:45 to play put Florida ahead 59-47. That shot was part of a 14-1 run that pushed the advantage to 67-50 with under eight minutes left.
Big night for big men
If there was an MVP in this game, it had to be 6-foot-10 Rueben Chinyelu, who turned in his second straight double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Nigeria native used his 265-pound bulk to be a constant menace in the paint against Miami. Four of his 12 boards came on offense and he also blocked two shots.
Florida's most consistent performer this season, 6-foot-9 junior forward Thomas Haugh, hit three of six from the arc en route to a 17-point night. He also pulled down eight rebounds.
Alex Condon, the 6-foot-11 center, scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in just 23 minutes of play. He and Chinyelu both fouled out.
Next
Florida plays Merrimack College on Friday night in Gainesville. The Gators likely will need the rest, Golden said, because of a few "banged up" players. That includes 7-foot-1 center Micah Handlogten, who took a shot to the head during first-half play and did not return. Golden said the injury was not serious.
UF Stat Leaders
Points: Condon 19
Rebounds: Chinyelu 12
Assists: Lee 5
Backcourt bricks
The Florida Gators are 3-1 despite getting little help from their new starting backcourt of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee. Through four games, they can't shoot — plain and simple.
On average, college guards convert 33-36% of three-point attempts. Take a look at these ugly numbers.
FLAND
2-for-16 (12.5%)
LEE
6-for-35 (17%)
COMBINED
8-for-51 (15.6%)
2025/26 Schedule and Results
All times Eastern
ARIZONA 93, GATORS 87
Record: 0-1
GATORS 104, NORTH FLORIDA 64
Record: 1-1
GATORS 78, FLORIDA STATE 76
Record: 2-1
GATORS 82, MIAMI 68
Record: 3-1
MERRIMACK
Nov. 21 (Fri) Time: 7 p.m.
@ Gainesville
TV: SEC/ESPN+
TCU
Nov. 27 (Thur) Time: 3 p.m.
@ San Diego, Calif.
TV: FS1
PROVIDENCE or WISCONSIN
Nov. 28 (Fri) Time: 3 or 5:30 p.m.
@ San Diego, Calif.
TV: FOX
DUKE
Dec. 2 (Tue) Time: 7:30 p.m.
@ Durham, N.C.
TV: ESPN
UCONN
Dec. 9 (Tue) Time: 9 p.m.
@ New York
TV: ESPN
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Dec. 13 (Sat) Time: 2:30 p.m.
@ Sunrise, Fla.
TV: ESPN2
ST. FRANCIS
Dec. 17 (Wed) Time: 6:30 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: SEC/ESPN
COLGATE
Dec. 21 (Sun) Time: Noon
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: SEC/ESPN+
DARTMOUTH
Dec. 29 (Mon) Time: 6 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: SEC/ESPN
MISSOURI
Jan. 3 (Sat) Time: 8:30 p.m.
@ Columbia, Mo.
TV: SEC/ESPN
GEORGIA
Jan. 6 (Tue) Time: 7 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: SEC/ESPN
TENNESSEE
Jan. 10 (Sat) Time: noon
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: ESPN or ESPN2
OKLAHOMA
Jan. 13 (Tue) Time: 9 p.m.
@ Norman, Okla.
TV: ESPN or ESPNU
VANDERBILT
Jan. 17 (Sat) Time: 2 p.m.
@ Nashville, Tenn.
TV: ESPN or ESPN2 or ESPNU
LSU
Jan. 20 (Tue) Time: 7 p.m.
@ Gainesville
TV: ESPN2
AUBURN
Jan. 24 (Sat) Time: 4 or 4:30 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: ESPN or ESPN2
SOUTH CAROLINA
Jan. 28 (Wed) Time: 9 p.m.
@ Columbia, S.C.
TV: SEC/ESPN
ALABAMA
Feb. 1 (Sun) Time: 1 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: ABC
TEXAS A&M
Feb. 7 (Sat) Time: 8:30 p.m.
@ College Station, Texas
TV: SEC/ESPN
GEORGIA
Feb. 11 (Wed) Time: 7 p.m.
@ Athens, Ga.
TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU
KENTUCKY
Feb. 14 (Sat) Time: 3 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: ABC
SOUTH CAROLINA
Feb. 17 (Tue) Time: 7 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: SEC/ESPN
OLE MISS
Feb. 21 (Sat) Time: noon
@ Oxford, Miss.
TV: ESPN or ESPN2
TEXAS
Feb. 25 (Wed) Time: 7 p.m.
@ Austin, Texas
TV: ESPN2 or ESPNU
ARKANSAS
Feb. 28 (Sat) Time: 8:30 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: ESPN or ESPN2
MISSISSIPPI STATE
March 3 (Tue) Time: 8 p.m.
@ Gainesville, Fla.
TV: SEC/ESPN
KENTUCKY
March 7 (Sat) Time: 4 p.m.
@ Lexington, Ky.
TV: ESPN or ESPN2
SEC TOURNAMENT
March 11-15
@Nashville, Tenn.