Can Florida Shoot its way to Another Title?
Winning a national championship is one thing. Proving you deserve to be No. 1 once more is another, especially when one of your biggest weaknesses starts beyond the three-point line.
Florida men’s basketball enters the 2026 season with high expectations after being named the No. 1 team in the AP preseason Top 25 poll. With several players returning from the program’s 2025 national championship team, Florida has the experience and talent to make another title run. However, its once again worrying 3-point shooting clip raises questions about whether the Gators can live up to the ranking.
During Florida’s 2024-25 championship season, the team shot 35.6% from beyond the arc. That number dropped to just 31.2% last season, placing the Gators among the least accurate 3-point shooting teams in the country.
Despite those struggles, Florida finished the year with a 27-8 record and secured the SEC regular-season title. The Gators also earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but suffered an unexpected 73-72 loss to ninth-seeded Iowa in the second round, becoming the only No. 1 seed to not make it to the Elite Eight.
The loss showed how quickly a championship-caliber season can come to an end. Florida shot 6 for 19 from three against Iowa, nailing just 31.6% of its attempts. Although the Gators remained competitive throughout the evening, their inability to consistently convert from beyond the arc was another reminder of an issue that had followed them all season.
With 11 returning players, including four starters, Florida has an advantage many college basketball programs lack: experience. Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, and Rueben Chinyelu are among the returning players who helped bring the 2025 National Championship home. Yet experience alone doesn’t make up for missed scoring opportunities.
Haugh, who led Florida with 17.1 points per game last season, shot only 32.6% from outside. Although he was one of the team’s most productive offensive players, improving his outside shooting could make him an even greater threat.
Condon presents a greater concern. While he averaged 15.1 points per game and played an important role in Florida’s offense, he connected on just 17% of his 3-point attempts last season. His production around the basket remained strong, but a more reliable outside shot could be all the difference for Florida’s offense.
Guard Boogie Fland also struggled from deep, shooting 24% from the 3 despite averaging 11.6 points per game.
For a team hoping to live up to another top ranking, Florida will need more consistent shooting from some of its biggest offensive contributors.
To be clear, Florida wasn’t without bright spots from beyond the arc. Urban Klavžar shot 40.6% last season, leading the team with 71 3-pointers. Florida has at least one reliable shooting option, but no team can depend on solely one player.
One exciting addition to Florida’s lineup is the return of Denzel Aberdeen, who helped lead the Gators to their 2025 title before spending last season at Kentucky. Aberdeen averaged 13.5 points per game and shot 36.3% from beyond the arc with the Wildcats, and he’ll bring much-needed shooting experience back to Gainesville. His return could be a serious boost for Florida’s offense, giving the Gators another reliable scoring threat as they look to improve their deep shooting and make another championship run.
Florida’s challenge now is translating its individual talent into a more consistent, well-rounded offensive performance. The return of several championship-experienced players gives coach Todd Golden a strong foundation, but improving efficiency beyond the arc will be essential against the nation’s top programs.
The Gators have certainly proved they can win games through rebounding, defense and scoring inside. Last season, they averaged 87.1 points per game despite their 3-point struggles. Yet, those offensive strengths can only overshadow Florida’s struggles from beyond the arc for so long.
As Florida prepares for another season with championship expectations, the question is no longer whether the Gators have enough talent to compete. It’s whether they can make enough shots when it matters most.
Category: Basketball, Gator Sports, Gators Men's Basketball
