#20/19 Florida Men’s Basketball (3-0) at Florida State (3-0)
Donald L. Tucker Center | Tallahassee, Fla.
Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 | 6 p.m.
Streaming
ACC Network | ESPN App
Play-by-Play: Doug Sherman | Analyst: Randolph Childress
Radio
Gators Sports Network from LEARFIELD | SiriusXM 106/191 & SiriusXM App
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley | Analyst: Lee Humphrey | Producer/Engineer: Steve Egan
The Tip-Off
* Florida enters Friday’s game with a 3-0 mark, its first such start since the 2021-22 season. The Gators have also won three straight in the series with Florida State, including a 2-0 record under Todd Golden. Golden looks to become the first UF coach to win his first three games vs. FSU since Tommy Bartlett, who started in 1966.
* Florida’s most recent visit to Tallahassee saw the Gators rally from a 19-point deficit to win the game, the fourth-largest comeback win in UF history.
* Walter Clayton Jr. has made 99 3-pointers through his first 39 games at UF and looks to join Dorian Finney-Smith (159), Will Richard (125) and Jalen Hudson (122) as the only transfers to tally 100 treys at UF.
* Eight Gators scored eight or more points in Monday’s win vs. Jacksonville, including Rueben Chinyelu’s 14 points, which matched his career high.
* The Gators have three individual 20-point performances this season as Walter Clayton Jr. went for 29 and Will Richard for 25 against USF, while Alex Condon posted a career-best 23 points vs. Jacksonville.
* UF used an explosive 59-point second half to secure the season-opening win vs. USF. While the Gators struggled from 3-point range, they shot 28-for-37 from 2-point range (.757) while getting to the line and converting to the tune of 27-for-33 (.818).
2024-25 at a Glance
* Florida enters its third season under head coach Todd Golden, looking to build on its 24-win NCAA Tournament season in 2023-24, the team’s most wins since the 2016-17 season. The Gators boast a backcourt trio of 1,000-point scorers in Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and FAU grad transfer Alijah Martin.
* The Gators return leading scorer and All-SEC guard Walter Clayton Jr., who posted 17.6 points per game and knocked down 93 3-pointers. Fellow starter Will Richard also returns coming off a 11.4 scoring average with 70 3-point field goals last season.
* With starting center Micah Handlogten slated to take a redshirt year due to a leg injury, sophomores Alex Condon (2023-24 SEC All-Freshman, 2024-25 preseason third-team All-SEC) and Thomas Haugh look to make a jump in their second season in Gainesville.
* Denzel Aberdeen returns to the backcourt, boosted by his career game in the SEC Tournament semifinals where he dropped in 20 points vs. Texas A&M. Kajus Kublickas competed with Lithuania this summer at FIBA U20 EuroBasket, starting at point guard and helping his home nation to a 5-2 record and fifth place finish.
* Florida ranked No. 21 in EvanMiya.com’s overall transfer activity, bringing in Final Four guard Alijah Martin (FAU) and big men Rueben Chinyelu (Washington State) and Sam Alexis (Chattanooga).
* Freshman Isaiah Brown from Orlando adds winning experience and another in-state team member. Florida also brings in a pair of European freshmen, with guard Urban Klavzar coming off a silver medal and all-tournament team effort for Slovenia in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket where he averaged 16.1 points per game. The Gators also add Serbian big man Viktor Mikic, who competed at Chattanooga’s Hamilton Heights as a senior.
* Bennett Andersen and Cooper Josefsberg return to the team in the walk-on role, along with newcomers Olivier Rioux (freshman) and Kevin Pazmino (sophomore).
* Florida’s coaching staff of Carlin Hartman, Korey McCray, Kevin Hovde, John Andrzejek and Taurean Green all return in their roles this season. Jordan Jacobson has been promoted to director of basketball operations and Nolan Crist to video coordinator, while Jon Michelini becomes the head athletic trainer following Duke Werner’s move into administration.
Gators Sign Alex Lloyd
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida men’s basketball team signed elite in-state guard Alex Lloyd out of Fort Lauderdale, head coach Todd Golden announced on Thursday.
“We are thrilled to welcome Alex Lloyd and his family into our Gator basketball program,” Golden said. “Alex is one of the best high school guards in the country, and we are really excited to add him to our group. He comes from a great family, and he has always been passionate about joining our program. There is no doubt he will have great success within our program.”
Lloyd, a four-star signee, comes to the Gators from Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale and is ESPN’s No. 34-ranked player in the class. Lloyd, at 6-foot-4, helped lead Westminster to the 3A state regional finals in 2023-24.
Golden and the UF coaching staff have continued to put emphasis on players from the state of Florida, as the current roster features Denzel Aberdeen (Orlando), Sam Alexis (Apopka), Isaiah Brown (Orlando) and Walter Clayton Jr. (Lake Wales).
Florida has opened its 2024-25 campaign with a 3-0 record and visits Florida State on Friday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network.
Gators Men’s Golf Signs No. 2 Ranked Class. Head Coach J.C. Deacon welcomed the class made up of Josh Bai, Trevor Gutschewski and Parker Severs.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida men’s golf head coach J.C. Deacon welcomed three new Gators to the program in Josh Bai, Trevor Gutschewski and Parker Severs. The class is ranked No. 2 in the country by Golfweek and No. 3 via Golf Channel.
Josh Bai | Auckland, New Zealand
* Finished 3rd at the 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley
* Runner-up at the 2023 United States Junior Amateur Championship
* Member of Team International for the 2024 Presidents Cup
* Part of Team New Zealand for The 2024 Spirit Amateur Championship
* T10 at the 2023 New Zealand PGA Championship
* Tied for 9th at the Australian Boys’ Amateur and the North & South Amateur
Deacon on Bai: “Josh Bai is arguably the best junior golfer in the world. He has gained incredible experience playing all over the world. He finished 2nd last summer at the United States Junior Amateur and played with a high level of consistency reaching No. 1 in the rankings. Josh is tremendously excited to get here and has the elite skill to make an immediate impact when he arrives in Gainesville.”
Trevor Gutschewski | Omaha, Neb. | Omaha Westside High School
* 2024 United States Junior Amateur Champion
* 2024 Nebraska Junior Match Play Champion
* 2024 Nebraska Golf Association Golfer and Junior Golfer of the Year
* Played in Korn Ferry Tour’s 2024 Pinnacle Bank Championship
* Led Omaha Westside High School to back-to-back state titles in 2023-2024
* Two-time and back-to-back Low-Amateur at the Nebraska Open
* 2024 NSAA District Individual Champion
* Ranked No. 16 in the AJGA Rankings
* Brother Luke is a senior in college and currently plays golf at Iowa State
* Dad Scott has played in 157 PGA Tour events
Deacon on Gutschewski: “Coach Hart and I have been big believers in Trevor Gutschewski for a long time. Trevor has a great pedigree and comes from an amazing golf family. Winning the United States Junior this past summer solidified his spot as one of the top players in the 2025 class. Trevor has a special belief and confidence about his game. He’s extremely powerful, has great touch, and his competitiveness is off the charts. We are so excited to welcome him to Gainesville.”
Parker Severs | Lakewood Ranch, Fla. | Lakewood Ranch High School
* Runner-up at the 2023 Dixie Amateur
* Won the 2024 FJT Stone Creek Open
* Three-time Team Florida selection by FSGA
* Finished 2nd individually at the FHSAA 2023 State Championship
* Runner-up at 2024 AJGA Junior Championship
* Led Lakewood Ranch to 2024 FHSAA Class Regional and District Titles
* Have won seven Florida Junior Tour events
* Tied for 3rd at the 2024 FSGA Four-Ball Championship
* T8th at the 2024 FSGA Boy’s Junior Championship
* Top-10 at the 2024 Team Taylormade Invitational
Deacon on Severs: “Parker Severs was born to be a Florida Gator. Parker represents everything Coach Hart and I look for in future players. He’s extremely hard working, intelligent, powerful, and his love for the game is inspiring. Parker has all the tools, on and off the course, to flourish in Gainesville.”
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