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\u00a0Loading …<\/p>\nAs if the anticipation for the 2026-27 Florida Gators men\u2019s basketball season hasn\u2019t peaked this offseason with the return of Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon, Friday\u2019s announcement of a monumental home matchup added to the hype.<\/p>\n
ESPN and the SEC announced that Florida will host Duke in the SEC-ACC challenge on Dec. 1 at the O\u2019Connell Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Gators and the Blue Devils tip-off again after last season\u2019s bout at Cameron Indoor Stadium. In a down-to-the-wire showdown last December, the Blue Devils triumphed in Durham, 67-66, on Isaiah Davis\u2019\u00a0game-winner.<\/p>\n
Greatest Gators Moments Bracket<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the greatest moment in Gators history? You decide.<\/p>\n
Closes Thu. June 11 June 12 \u2022 1:59 PMbull; 1:59 PM<\/p>\n
Matchup 1<\/p>\n
3<\/p>\n
Gymnastics Three-Peat (2013\u201315)<\/p>\n
vs.<\/p>\n
6<\/p>\n
Caeleb Dressel NCAA Career<\/p>\n
\u00a0Loading …<\/p>\n
Matchup 2<\/p>\n
2<\/p>\n
2007 Men\u2019s Basketball Title (Repeat)<\/p>\n
vs.<\/p>\n
7<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s Tennis Back-to-Back (2011\u201312)<\/p>\n
\u00a0Loading …<\/p>\n
The college basketball giants are set to meet for the 18th time since their first head-to-head back in 1934. In almost 89 years to the date, Duke will make the trek to Gainesville. The last time they did so, the Gators\u2019 home court was the Florida Gymnasium, situated only a quarter-mile from where the O\u2019Connell Center stands today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Coach Todd Golden\u2019s Gators faced one of the most difficult stretches of non-conference play last season. In addition to playing then-No. 4 Duke, Florida took on Arizona and No. 5 UConn. All three of those opponents appeared in the 2026 NCAA Men\u2019s Basketball Final Four.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Florida will take the same approach this season before SEC play commences. Before hosting Duke, Florida will compete in November\u2019s Players Era 8 tournament in Las Vegas, along with Kansas, Houston, Auburn, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Rutgers, and UNLV.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, Golden\u2019s focus isn\u2019t set on just the tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll want to play some marquee matchups outside of Players Era,\u201d Golden said on Apr. 22. \u201cWe want to play some good games for sure \u2026 we\u2019re going to play some really tough opponents in preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n
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