PREVIEW: Arizona vs. Florida

Monday starts a new season for Arizona men's basketball and college basketball as a whole. It is quite the opener for the Wildcats against the defending champions in the Florida Gators.

After two exhibition wins against Saint Mary's and Embry-Riddle, Arizona will be tested right out of the gate against the defending champions in front of what should be a Wildcat heavy stadium in Las Vegas to open the season. While the first game won't mean everything for the season, it will be a good marker to see how this year's Wildcat team stacks up against another strong team.

Last year, Florida went through a tough path in the NCAA Tournament led by the star play of Walter Clayton Jr. who dropped 34 points in their final four win over Auburn before the Gators defeated Houston 65-63 in the national championship.

Florida lost its entire back court of Clayton, Will Richard and Alijah Martin who each played a big part in the Gators run to being national champions last season. They were each selected in the NBA Draft this past year.

Florida coach Todd Golden addressed the back court by bringing in Boogie Fland from Arkansas and Xaivian Lee from Princeton through the transfer portal. Fland showed glimpses of flashes as a freshman with the Razorbacks last season, but struggled with efficiency and injuries. Lee joins Florida after being one of the top players in the Ivy League.

While it lost most of its back court production from last season, Florida returns the majority of its front court led by Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelo and Thomas Haugh. In the national championship, Condon chipped in 12 points with seven rebounds and four steals. He averaged just over 10 points and seven rebounds per game on the season.

Florida opens the season ranked No. 3 in the country, while Arizona is ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll. The big question for how the Gators do this season will be the production of Fland and Lee in the back court and how much of last year's production they can get from that duo this year.

It will be an immediate test for the Wildcats front court, including freshman Koa Peat and one of the most physical rebounders in the country in Tobe Awaka. Can the back court of Jaden Bradley and a freshman in Brayden Burries outperform the back court of Fland and Lee for Florida? Those will be among the storylines to watch on Monday that could be the deciding factor in who comes out on top.

Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots the ball against Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) during the first half during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

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