Florida Men’s Basketball Slides to No. 15 After Mixed Results in San Diego, Preps for Duke Showdown
After a rocky start to the season, Florida men’s basketball continues to search for consistency - and the latest AP Poll reflects that. The Gators slipped to No. 15 in the Week Four rankings following a 1-1 showing at the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego. It’s not panic time in Gainesville, but the early-season turbulence is starting to show in the standings.
Florida’s Thanksgiving Day matchup against TCU was a tale of missed opportunities and costly mistakes. The Gators came into the game favored, but turnovers and cold shooting doomed them against a Horned Frogs squad that made the most of their chances. Florida coughed up the ball 19 times and shot just 8-of-29 from deep - numbers that rarely translate to wins, especially in tight, high-pressure games.
And yet, despite all that, Florida still built a 10-point lead midway through the second half. That’s what makes this loss sting a bit more.
Junior guard Urban Klavzar had a breakout performance, pouring in a career-high 20 points. Junior forward Thomas Haugh matched him with 20 of his own, and for a stretch, it looked like the Gators had found their rhythm.
But TCU never backed down, and their late surge flipped the script. The Horned Frogs closed strong to pull off an 84-80 win, handing Florida its second loss of the season.
To their credit, the Gators bounced back quickly. Less than 24 hours later, they took the floor against Providence and responded with a much-needed 90-78 win.
The biggest storyline? Xaivian Lee snapping out of his shooting funk in a big way.
The junior guard dropped 20 points - his best scoring output since arriving in Gainesville - and looked like the offensive weapon Florida needs him to be. With Alex Condon sidelined due to a head injury suffered against TCU, the rest of the rotation stepped up and delivered.
It wasn’t a perfect game, but it was a strong response.
Now sitting at 5-2, Florida heads into one of its toughest tests of the season: a road trip to face No. 2 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Blue Devils are off to a scorching 8-0 start and boast the nation’s top-ranked field goal percentage defense. Simply put, they make every shot a grind.
But Florida doesn’t come in empty-handed. The Gators hold advantages in rebounding and overall experience, two areas that could prove crucial in a hostile environment.
This isn’t just another early-season non-conference matchup. It’s a measuring stick.
Florida has shown flashes of promise, but against Duke, they’ll need 40 minutes of focused, high-level basketball. If they can limit turnovers, find rhythm from beyond the arc, and stay composed under pressure, they’ve got a shot to make a statement.
Tuesday night in Durham will say a lot about where this Florida team really stands - and whether they’re ready to turn potential into something more.