How Has Florida Gators Basketball Fared in Season-Openers?

The No. 3 Florida Gators begin their season Monday against the No. 13 Arizona Wildcats in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas. It is going to be a tough opening battle for the Gators, especially for the new players who are adjusting to Golden’s system.

Moreover, this will be a different test for the Gators in an opener compared to the previous 25 seasons, with the Wildcats being the toughest team they have faced to start a campaign.

Fortunately for the Gators, they are perfect in the first game of each campaign under Gators head coach Todd Golden. The competition has not been stifling, though, for Golden. Florida’s most difficult opening opponent on the schedule over the past four seasons has been USF a year ago, which the Gators left with a 98-83 victory.

Florida head basketball coach Todd Golden has not lost a season-opener while leading the Gators. | Alan Youngblood / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Overall, Florida has been strong in their first game of the season since 2000. They are 24-1 in these contests, having only lost to Florida State back in 2018. They were handed a 21-point defeat by the Seminoles that year, losing 81-60.

Outside of the loss to Florida State, though, they comfortably dealt with every other opponent. There were only three wins of the 24 that were less than double-digits. Additionally, even with the loss to the Seminoles, the Gators' average margin of victory was 24.92 points.

Their most dominant victory of the century came against Warner in the 2008 season. Florida won that game 108-49 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Leading the way in points that night was forward Dan Werner, who accounted for 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block.

Chandler Parsons also had a productive night against Warner. He added 14 points, six rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal.

Florida Gators forward Chandler Parsons, seen here in 2011, had a big game as a sophomore to open the 2008-09 season. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

There is one noticeable theme when it comes to how Florida has scheduled their opening opponent, though. Of the programs they faced, only one was a Power Four program: Florida State.

That is what makes this test against the Wildcats a much different one compared to the past, and is why it will serve as a measuring stick for the defending champions.

“We'll definitely learn a lot,” Golden said of his matchup with Arizona. "Arizona is really good... I'm cautiously optimistic, but really understand that this is going to be a really difficult game. And hopefully we can win and teach a lot from the winning side. But even if we don't, you know, I think we'll be able to get a lot out of it."

Arizona is a top-15 team with multiple potential NBA players on the roster. His defense will be put to work early and everyone outside of the program is finally getting a look at how the Gators will handle the loss of Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m., with the game being televised on TNT.

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