The anticipation is finally over as Florida basketball is set to start its season.
The No. 1 Gators will open the year against rival Miami on Monday, Nov. 2 at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa.
Florida comes off a season that featured the Gators winning the SEC regular-season title but falling short in the NCAA tournament after being upset in the Round of 32. As a result, Florida returned its core big-man trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu.
The No. 17 Hurricanes experienced a successful first year under head coach Jai Lucas, who led Miami to a 26-9 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Notably, Florida defeated Miami 82-68 in Jacksonville last season.
UF played two exhibition games in the preseason, posting an 82-76 overtime loss to Baylor and an 85-68 win over Stetson. Miami defeated Vanderbilt 109-96 in an exhibition matchup.
“They have a lot of talent across the board,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “They’re pretty big, and they picked up some good pieces. I think they have a little more depth than they had last year.”
What channel is Florida basketball vs Miami
TV Channel: ESPN2Livestream:ESPN+, FUBO
Florida basketball vs Miami will broadcast on the ESPN2. Tom Hart and Jimmy Dykes will call the game from the booth. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+ and FUBO, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.
Florida basketball vs Miami
Date: Monday, Nov. 2Start time: 6 p.m.
The Florida basketball vs. Miami game starts at 6 p.m. ET.
Reach Florida Gators writer Andrew Abadie at AAbadie@usatodayco.com or on X (formerly Twitter) at @AndrewAbadie. You can also find him on Facebook at Andrew Abadie Sports Reporter or on Instagram @andrewabadie_sports.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: How to watch Florida basketball vs Miami season opener: TV, streaming
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Reporting by Andrew Abadie, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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This story was originally published November 2, 2026 at 4:03 AM.