The Florida Gators are back in the spotlight, and their journey this season is nothing short of remarkable. As the defending national champions, the Gators are once again the No. 1 seed in the South regional.
But history tells us that repeating as champions is a daunting task. Since the tournament expanded in 1985, only three teams have managed to win back-to-back titles after coming in as a No. 1 seed the following year.
What makes Florida's bid so intriguing is the transformation they've undergone. This isn’t the same team that cut down the nets last year.
Gone are their top three scorers from 2025. Instead, the Gators have retooled with a focus on their frontcourt, featuring standout performances from 6-foot-9 and 6-11 players leading the charge.
To put this in perspective, when legendary teams like UCLA in the early '70s and Duke in the early '90s repeated as champions, they retained a significant portion of their scoring. Florida, however, has brought back just 38.6% of its scoring from last season. Yet, they're still in the hunt.
Center Rueben Chinyelu captures the team’s mindset perfectly: “Defending champion, that’s history. This is a new team, and the championship is right there to grab.” It’s a sentiment that reflects the current state of college basketball, where player turnover is common due to the NBA draft and transfer portal.
This season, Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh, and Alex Condon have stepped up from their roles as defensive and rebounding specialists to become offensive leaders. Last year, they averaged a combined 17.7 shots and 9.9 free throws per game. This season, those numbers have jumped to 29.2 shots and 14.8 free throws, underscoring their increased offensive responsibility.
The Gators' strategy revolves around dominating the paint and crashing the boards, earning them the top rebounding spot in the nation. As backup center Micah Handlogten explains, the team has shifted from an offensive powerhouse to a defense-first mentality, leveraging their strengths to create opportunities.
Their defensive prowess was on full display in their 114-55 rout of Prairie View A&M, where they held the Panthers to just 10 points in the paint. Alex Condon highlights the depth of their frontcourt, noting, “There’s not a lot of teams in the country that can do that.”
The season wasn’t without its challenges. Early on, Florida stumbled to a 5-4 record, struggling to find their identity.
But since then, they’ve gone 22-3, embracing their new style of play. While their 3-point shooting has dipped to 31.2%, and turnovers remain an issue, the Gators have leaned into their strengths, making them a formidable opponent.
Guard Isaiah Brown sums it up: “This team is more defense-oriented. We handle business in the paint, which opens up opportunities from the 3-point line. If we keep playing the way we’ve been playing, this can be a great team.”
As they prepare to face Iowa in the second round, the Gators are proving that even with a new look, they’re still a force to be reckoned with.