One of the great parts of Gator Country is the relationship the writing staff can have with the members through the message boards.
As we get closer and closer to the 2025-26 college basketball season, I thought it was time for another Gator Country member Q&A where I take questions directly from members and answer them for all who want to read. This will be a multi-part series as I take time to answer every single question that is posted on the Full Court Press message board. Let’s get into it.
OklahomaGator: “It seems our pre-SEC schedule is more difficult than last year where we were undefeated in the pre-SEC schedule. What is your projection on our record going into SEC play?”
You are correct, Florida’s non-conference schedule is much more difficult this year, which suggests that the Gators truly think they can compete for another Championship. Also, it suggests that last year they weren’t as confident and therefore scheduled a softer slate, which speaks to the magic that was captured in the 2024-25 season.
If I had to predict now, and put myself at risk of taking some darts from fans who are expecting another undefeated non-conference slate, I think the Gators take on two losses. This would still make for a really solid non-conference slate, so save your anger for just a moment.
The first loss I am expecting is at Duke, with the Blue Devils boasting a strong roster and, of course, one of the most respected home court environments in the sport. There would be no shame in taking a loss here, as is the case with the second loss I’d predict–against UConn at the Jimmy V Classic in New York. Florida fans always travel well to games in New York–but UConn fans are certain to make this one a zoo. I am also quite high on the UConn roster after they had a slight step back last season.
Two losses would be totally fine in Florida’s hunt for another 1-seed, and I am predicting they win all their other games including the opening night showcase against Arizona, where I think Florida’s pace and frontcourt will win out against the Wildcats who, well, also pride themselves on pace and an excellent frontcourt.
67WalkOn: “Eric, how do you see Tommy Haugh working out at the 3? How many minutes will he get at the 3 and how many at 4? Thanks.”
Haugh at the 3 will be fine, but I don’t see it being the best lineup for the Gators. For two seasons now, Florida’s best lineups have been Condon at the 5 and Haugh at the 4, and I think the Gators will pretty quickly get back to this, and more importantly, when games are tight and things are getting serious I am fully expecting it to be Haugh at the four just like we’re used to seeing. Perhaps if the young crop of wings doesn’t play great and command more minutes we see more Haugh at the wing, which would open up more opportunity for Chinylelu and Handlogten to play more minutes than they did last season. Ultimately, I probably expect Haugh to play 30 minutes a game with 11 played at the 3 and 19 played at the 4.
Brewski: “Replacing Walt, Alijah and Will is a difficult task, but we have some amazing new guys filling in. With a stacked frontcourt, do you see Todd focusing the offense more down low or will it continue to be guard-centric?”
Obviously the Gators lost three really good guards, but when you look at the style of those players it was one initiator in Walter Clayton, and two play finishers in Alijah Martin and Will Richard. Replacing them are Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee who are both capable of creating on their own, so in a lot of ways the Gators actually increased their ball handling and usage this year.
I do think Florida’s offense was fairly balanced last year between Clayton creating in isolation and the frontcourt initiating behind the three-point arc as the Gators got into zooms and different dribble handoffs. With Fland and Lee both being ball handlers or “point guards” if we need to use those labels, I actually think the ball could be in the guards’ hands more this year than last year when the Gators didn’t have a guy who would classify himself as a true point guard. Look for Fland and Lee to combine for more assists than the guard group last season, both because of their style of play, as well as the slight offensive changes.
CandymanfromGC: “Have they worked on any plays to utilize Olly (Olivier Rioux), say like inbound plays?”
To my knowledge no–but I love this concept and have been talking about this ever since they took his commitment. There are always going to be major problems with a 7’7” player trying to get up and down the court, but I think the Gators could absolutely use him as a gadget player on baseline out of bounds plays. Parking him around the rim on BLOB plays sounds like a cheat code to me, and you have seen this in college basketball with some of the 7’3”+ giants of the past. I do hope we see this at some point.
LakePlacidGator: “I have been projecting the combination of Lee, Fland, Haugh, Condon, Chinyelu, and Handlogten to play about 155 minutes per game.
Is this in the ball park of what you are projecting?
This leaves about 45 minutes per game that would all be at shooting guard and small forward, to be divided by some combination of Klavzar, Brown, Brown, Lloyd, and Ingram. I would project 4 players to divide these minutes early in the season and the rotation to shorten to 3 players by the end of the year.
How do you see the remaining minutes (non-Lee, Fland, Haugh, Condon, Chinyelu, and Handlogten minutes) being divided?”
I love all the work you’ve been doing! I will say that I have been working on my preseason prediction article for transfers which will touch on some of this, but essentially, yes this is in the ball park of what I am projecting.
The big question with the minutes distribution this season is the wing spot as you mentioned. The two players I really see emerging from the guards and wings off the bench are Urban Klavzar and Alex Lloyd. This wouldn’t present the best positional fit (size from CJ Ingram and even AJ Brown would probably “fit” the best) but I simply think the best basketball players in this group are Klavzar and Lloyd. Klavzar would create some fascinating opportunities for three point guard lineups, or allow Fland and Lee to get off the ball some. Lloyd is just an electric scorer from all I’ve seen, and while he isn’t big and his defense could use work, he might simply command a role due to his ability to put points on the board.
That is all for now, but you can keep posting your questions on the Full Court Press message board and see them answered in future articles.