Florida’s perfect start has come with a familiar pattern: Thomas Haugh keeps stuffing the stat sheet.
The 6-foot-9 forward has been a force on the glass and on the scoreboard as the top-ranked Gators moved to 3-0 with an 81-72 win over Florida State on Tuesday, Nov. 10. It was a physical night from start to finish, capped by Florida throwing down an alley-oop after the final buzzer.
Through three games, Haugh has piled up 54 points and 27 rebounds, and his production has been especially striking given the level of competition. Florida has faced three in-state opponents already, including Miami and FSU in two of its first three games.
Against the Seminoles, Haugh delivered 21 points and 10 rebounds. Alex Condon also finished with 10 boards, though he came up one point short of a double-double.
Haugh had already turned in a 19-point, 10-rebound performance against No. 14 Miami, then followed it with 14 points and seven rebounds against Jacksonville in just 26 minutes. He logged 38 minutes in the opener and 34 against Florida State.
His 13 field-goal attempts in the Orion180 Tipoff Classic were his highest total of the season, and he has attempted just 16 shots combined in the last two games. Even so, he still found a way to make a major impact, including scoring 10 of his 21 points from the free-throw line against FSU.
Florida’s other big interior piece has been just as important. Rueben Chinyelu led the Gators with 21 points against Jacksonville and grabbed 14 rebounds against Miami in Tampa.
Todd Golden likely won’t need to lean on him for long on Friday, Nov. 13, against Merrimack, but it will be another chance for Haugh to show why he has become one of the nation’s most productive frontcourt players and a double-double machine.
In Other News...
Floridas Kentucky Outlook Just Got Tougher Without A Key Playmaker
Floridas prep for Kentucky took a hit with the first injury report, and the biggest name on it is wide receiver Vernell Brown III. The Gators are also down safety Bryce Thornton, linebacker Jaden Robinson and tight end Evan Chieca, while Kofi Asare and DK Kalu are listed as questionable, leaving the roster a little thinner on both sides of the ball as the matchup approaches.
Browns absence matters because Florida has already been trying to adjust its offense without him, and coach Sumrall acknowledged that the group has not fully settled in yet. Even with the setback, Brown wanted to give it a go, which only underscores how much this game means and how much Florida would like to have one of its key playmakers back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Gets An Early Shot With A 5-Star Line Target
Florida is getting an early crack at one of the most coveted young linemen in the country. Kendrick Harris, a five-star offensive tackle from Duncanville, Texas, has picked up a scholarship offer from the Gators, adding another major program to a recruiting race that is already moving fast around the class of 2028 standout. Harris is rated as the top interior offensive lineman in his class and is drawing attention well beyond the Southeast.
The next step for Florida will come on November 21, when Harris is scheduled to visit campus for the home game against Vanderbilt. With multiple offers already on the table from other major programs, the Gators will have a chance to make an impression in person and show why Gainesville belongs in the conversation for one of the nations top prospects. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Offense Faces A Huge Chance To Silence Doubts At Kentucky
Florida heads to No. 13 Kentucky with a chance to do more than just notch another SEC win. A victory would push the Gators to bowl eligibility, and it would come against a Wildcats team that has spent much of the season looking like one of the leagues tougher outs. Kentucky still brings a productive offense led by quarterback Kenny Minchey, but the matchup also offers Florida a real opening against a pass defense that has been vulnerable.
For the Gators, the challenge is simple to describe and hard to solve: keep Kentuckys rushing attack from controlling the game long enough for Floridas offense to settle in. The Wildcats are coming off a loss to Tennessee that snapped a six-game winning streak, so there is still plenty of credibility attached to this opponent. If Florida can turn this into a clean, efficient road performance, it would go a long way toward quieting the doubts that have followed the offense and the team as a whole. [Read more 🡒]