Big Test for Gators Frontcourt Ahead When They Face Duke

The Florida Gators will head into one of the toughest environments in the sport, looking to make a statement

Another big test lies ahead for the Florida Gators | Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

Florida Gators forward Thomas Haugh made a promise for the entire frontcourt after surrendering 30 points to an opposing forward in the upset loss to Arizona in the season opener. The effort from him and the other bigs that night is unacceptable, and they won’t let it happen again. 

“We can't let somebody like that come out here and score 30 points on us. It's not acceptable, and it won't happen moving forward,” Haugh said. 

That promise will be put to the test on Tuesday against Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium, as Florida faces a strong group of bigs, highlighted by the potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, Cam Boozer. 

Boozer has long been projected as a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. What he can do at his size and the efficiency with which he does it make it a no-brainer for him to go within the first three picks in the draft. 

If it were up to Gators head coach Todd Golden, he would take him with the No. 1 pick. 

"Cam's a different beast," Golden said to the media on Monday. "He's a sure-fire top-three pick in my estimation. I'd probably take him No. 1 if I was a GM.” 

The 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward has backed up all the hype through the first eight games of his college career. He is averaging 22.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He has also recorded 14 steals and nine blocks. 

He is not just a bruiser down low, though. Boozer is a capable shooter from deep, too. He is shooting 38.7 percent from deep on the year, making 12 of his 31 attempts. 

Joining him in Duke’s starting frontcourt is center Patrick Ngongba II. Ngongba II is a 6-foot-11, 250-pound sophomore who was also a five-star prospect out of high school. 

His numbers aren’t off the charts, but he is one of the better centers in the ACC, nonetheless. In eight games in the 2025-26 season, he is averaging 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds across 22.8 minutes per game. Ngongba is an efficient scorer, too, shooting 67.3 percent from the field. 

These two provide Duke with one of the best starting frontcourts in the ACC. 

Then, off the bench, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer relies upon Maliq Brown to reinforce his frontcourt. Brown is in his second year with the Blue Devils, transferring in from Syracuse before the 2024-25 season. 

Despite receiving 16.4 minutes per game for Duke, Brown is an impactful player for Scheyer. He is not much of a scorer, averaging 5.9 points per game, but he is an above-average passer for his position. The defense needs to be aware of their assignments off the ball to make his passing less damaging. 

This will be the biggest test for the Florida frontcourt this year. Only time will tell if they can back up Haugh’s promise or not.