Florida Men’s Basketball Closes SEC Home Play Against Miss State

The lights will be bright and the crowd will be loud as Florida men’s basketball hosts Mississippi State on Tuesday night. This is the final home game of the season, acting as a chance for the Gators to fully crown themselves SEC champions. 

The No. 5 Gators  (23-6, 14-2 SEC) secured at least a share of the SEC after defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks 111-77 in Gainesville on Saturday. 

Florida’s victory cemented a nine-game streak in conference play, as the Gators placed themselves atop the SEC rankings heading into Mississippi State (13-16, 5-11). Under coach Todd Golden, the Gators have leaned on determined offensive scoring, defensive intensity and late-game execution to differentiate themselves in the hardest conference in college basketball. 

From tip-off, the Gators showed intensity and control of the tempo by maintaining composure down the stretch. 

Veteran leadership and key contributions propelled the Gators. Junior forward Thomas Haugh recorded 22 points and five rebounds, and junior center forward Alex Condon put up 17 points and six assists. Florida also shot 56.5% and dominated rebounds 51-31, closing out the contest in a sold-out O’Dome. 

With this run, the Gators are also strengthening their NCAA tournament resume, boosting their seeding as March Madness approaches. 

“This group has brought me in from day one,” Golden said. 

He also acknowledged his team’s consistency, as the Gators are “playing as good as anybody in America.”

With the title share secured, Florida shifts its focus to Tuesday as it plays Mississippi State. Guard Josh Hubbard averages 21.4 points and 3.5 assists per game, while leading the Bulldogs in steals with 39. 

The Gator Boys look to have a good matchup with tip off against the Bulldogs at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network before heading into the final game of the regular season against Kentucky on Saturday. Radio coverage starts at 7:30 p.m. on 103.7-FM.

Category: College Basketball, Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Men's Basketball