2024–25 Florida Gators men's basketball team facts for kids
Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 4 Auburn | 15 | – | 3 | .833 | 32 | – | 6 | .842 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 1 Florida † | 14 | – | 4 | .778 | 36 | – | 4 | .900 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 6 Alabama | 13 | – | 5 | .722 | 28 | – | 9 | .757 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 5 Tennessee | 12 | – | 6 | .667 | 30 | – | 8 | .789 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 19 Texas A&M | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 23 | – | 11 | .676 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 12 Kentucky | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 24 | – | 12 | .667 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 22 | – | 12 | .647 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 18 Ole Miss | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 24 | – | 12 | .667 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 20 Arkansas | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 22 | – | 14 | .611 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mississippi State | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 21 | – | 13 | .618 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 20 | – | 13 | .606 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vanderbilt | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 20 | – | 13 | .606 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas | 6 | – | 12 | .333 | 19 | – | 16 | .543 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oklahoma | 6 | – | 12 | .333 | 20 | – | 14 | .588 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LSU | 3 | – | 15 | .167 | 14 | – | 18 | .438 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 2 | – | 16 | .111 | 12 | – | 20 | .375 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† 2025 SEC tournament winner Rankings from AP poll |
The 2024–25 Florida Gators men's basketball team had an amazing season. They played for the University of Florida and were part of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Their home games were at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. Todd Golden was their head coach for his third year.
This season was their best in 11 years. The team became one of the top programs again. They used the motto "Gator Boys Stay Hot" to honor a past Florida team that won two championships in a row.
Contents
A Championship Season
The Florida Gators had a fantastic 2024–25 basketball season. They won both the SEC Tournament and the NCAA National Championship. This was a huge achievement for the team and its fans.
Regular Season Highlights
The Gators started the season strong. They won all 13 of their non-conference games. This helped them reach No. 6 in the AP Poll, their highest ranking in seven years. The team's record was 27 wins and 4 losses in the regular season. They finished second in the SEC, which was a very tough conference this year.
Key players like senior guards Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, and Alijah Martin led the team. Even with early losses to Kentucky and Missouri, the Gators got hot. They won 9 of their last 10 regular season games. This included big road wins against No. 1 Auburn and No. 7 Alabama. Led by Clayton Jr. and Alex Condon, they beat a No. 1 team on the road for the first time ever.
Tournament Triumphs
As the No. 2 seed, the Gators played in the 2025 SEC men's basketball tournament in Nashville, Tennessee. They beat Missouri 95–81 and Alabama 104–82. This sent them to the SEC Championship game. There, they defeated Tennessee 86–77. This win gave them their first SEC championship since 2014.
Winning the SEC tournament earned them a spot in the 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. They were the No. 1 seed in the West region. In the first round, they beat Norfolk State 95–69. Next, they faced UConn, who had won the national championship twice in a row. The Gators won a close game 77–75. They then beat Maryland 87–71 in the Sweet Sixteen.
This led them to the Elite Eight, where they defeated Texas Tech 84–79. This was their first Final Four appearance since 2014. In the Final Four, they beat their SEC rival Auburn 79–73. This win sent them to their first national championship game since 2007. In the championship game, they won against Houston 65–63. This victory gave the Gators their third national title overall and their first since 2007.
Team Roster
Here are the players and coaches for the 2024–25 Florida Gators men's basketball team:
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Roster |
Season Schedule and Game Results
The Gators played many exciting games throughout their championship season. Here is a look at their schedule and how they performed:
Date time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
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Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
November 4, 2024* 8:30 p.m., SECN |
No. 21 | vs. South Florida Jacksonville Sports Foundation Invitational |
W 98–83 | 1–0 |
29 – Clayton Jr. | 6 – Tied | 3 – Martin | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena (5,764) Jacksonville, FL |
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November 7, 2024* 8:00 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+ |
No. 21 | Jacksonville | W 81–60 | 2–0 |
23 – Condon | 7 – Alexis | 7 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (8,381) Gainesville, FL |
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November 11, 2024* 7:00 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+ |
No. 20 | Grambling State | W 86–62 | 3–0 |
14 – Chinyelu | 8 – Tied | 3 – Tied | O'Connell Center (7,857) Gainesville, FL |
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November 15, 2024* 6:00 p.m., ACCN |
No. 20 | at Florida State Rivalry |
W 87–74 | 4–0 |
25 – Clayton Jr. | 12 – Condon | 3 – Tied | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center (9,797) Tallahassee, FL |
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November 19, 2024* 7:00 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+ |
No. 21 | Florida A&M | W 84–60 | 5–0 |
20 – Richard | 9 – Tied | 5 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (8,005) Gainesville, FL |
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November 22, 2024* 7:00 p.m., SECN |
No. 21 | Southern Illinois | W 93–68 | 6–0 |
32 – Martin | 9 – Martin | 5 – Martin | O'Connell Center (9,533) Gainesville, FL |
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November 28, 2024* 2:30 p.m., ESPN |
No. 18 | vs. Wake Forest ESPN Events Invitational Semifinals |
W 75–58 | 7–0 |
21 – Clayton Jr. | 9 – Chinyelu | 3 – Clayton Jr. | State Farm Field House (3,191) Bay Lake, FL |
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November 29, 2024* 3:30 p.m., ESPN |
No. 18 | vs. Wichita State ESPN Events Invitational Final |
W 88–51 | 8–0 |
19 – Clayton Jr. | 11 – Chinyelu | 5 – Richard | State Farm Field House (3,875) Bay Lake, FL |
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December 4, 2024* 7:15 p.m., ESPN2 |
No. 13 | Virginia ACC–SEC Challenge |
W 87–69 | 9–0 |
27 – Clayton Jr. | 8 – Condon | 4 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (9,184) Gainesville, FL |
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December 14, 2024* 3:30 p.m., SECN |
No. 9 | vs. Arizona State Holiday Hoopsgiving |
W 83–66 | 10–0 |
25 – Clayton Jr. | 11 – Martin | 6 – Martin | State Farm Arena (12,900) Atlanta, GA |
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December 17, 2024* 7:00 p.m., ESPN |
No. 7 | vs. North Carolina Jumpman Invitational |
W 90–84 | 11–0 |
22 – Richard | 10 – Condon | 5 – Condon | Spectrum Center (16,058) Charlotte, NC |
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December 21, 2024* 12:00 p.m., SECN |
No. 7 | North Florida | W 99–45 | 12–0 |
26 – Richard | 12 – Alexis | 4 – Aberdeen | O'Connell Center (10,109) Gainesville, FL |
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December 29, 2024* 1:00 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+ |
No. 6 | Stetson | W 85–45 | 13–0 |
18 – Martin | 12 – Alexis | 7 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (10,676) Gainesville, FL |
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SEC regular season | |||||||||||
January 4, 2025 11:00 a.m., ESPN |
No. 6 | at No. 10 Kentucky Rivalry |
L 100–106 | 13–1 (0–1) |
33 – Clayton Jr. | 10 – Condon | 5 – Clayton Jr. | Rupp Arena (21,093) Lexington, KY |
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January 7, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
No. 8 | No. 1 Tennessee | W 73–43 | 14–1 (1–1) |
18 – Martin | 15 – Chinyelu | 5 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (11,011) Gainesville, FL |
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January 11, 2025 4:00 p.m., ESPN |
No. 8 | at Arkansas | W 71–63 | 15–1 (2–1) |
14 – Martin | 10 – Condon | 5 – Clayton Jr. | Bud Walton Arena (19,200) Fayetteville, AR |
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January 14, 2025 9:00 p.m., ESPNU |
No. 5 | Missouri | L 82–83 | 15–2 (2–2) |
28 – Clayton Jr. | 10 – Chinyelu | 3 – Condon | O'Connell Center (10,491) Gainesville, FL |
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January 18, 2025 4:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
No. 5 | Texas | W 84–60 | 16–2 (3–2) |
22 – Martin | 12 – Condon | 4 – Martin | O'Connell Center (11,107) Gainesville, FL |
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January 22, 2025 7:00 p.m., SECN |
No. 5 | at South Carolina | W 70–69 | 17–2 (4–2) |
22 – Richard | 7 – Condon | 7 – Clayton Jr. | Colonial Life Arena (14,930) Columbia, SC |
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January 25, 2025 3:30 p.m., SECN |
No. 5 | Georgia | W 89–59 | 18–2 (5–2) |
17 – Tied | 11 – Haugh | 5 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (11,187) Gainesville, FL |
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February 1, 2025 12:00 p.m., ESPN |
No. 5 | at No. 8 Tennessee | L 44–64 | 18–3 (5–3) |
10 – Clayton Jr. | 10 – Haugh | 2 – Richard | Thompson–Boling Arena (21,678) Knoxville, TN |
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February 4, 2025 7:00 p.m., SECN |
No. 6 | Vanderbilt | W 86–75 | 19–3 (6–3) |
21 – Richard | 9 – Tied | 4 – Tied | O'Connell Center (9,745) Gainesville, FL |
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February 8, 2025 4:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
No. 6 | at No. 1 Auburn | W 90–81 | 20–3 (7–3) |
19 – Clayton Jr. | 10 – Condon | 9 – Clayton Jr. | Neville Arena (9,121) Auburn, AL |
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February 11, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
No. 3т | at No. 22 Mississippi State | W 81–68 | 21–3 (8–3) |
20 – Aberdeen | 9 – Haugh | 8 – Haugh | Humphrey Coliseum (9,401) Starkville, MS |
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February 15, 2025 8:30 p.m., SECN |
No. 3т | South Carolina | W 88–67 | 22–3 (9–3) |
22 – Aberdeen | 6 – Tied | 8 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (10,853) Gainesville, FL |
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February 18, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
No. 2 | Oklahoma | W 85–63 | 23–3 (10–3) |
18 – Clayton Jr. | 8 – Richard | 3 – Aberdeen | O'Connell Center (10,513) Gainesville, FL |
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February 22, 2025 6:00 p.m., SECN |
No. 2 | at LSU | W 79–65 | 24–3 (11–3) |
19 – Chinyelu | 13 – Chinyelu | 5 – Richard | Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,569) Baton Rouge, LA |
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February 25, 2025 7:00 p.m., SECN |
No. 3 | at Georgia | L 83–88 | 24–4 (11–4) |
30 – Richard | 9 – Handlogten | 5 – Clayton Jr. | Stegeman Coliseum (10,066) Athens, GA |
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March 1, 2025 8:30 p.m., SECN |
No. 3 | No. 12 Texas A&M College GameDay |
W 89–70 | 25–4 (12–4) |
25 – Richard | 9 – Condon | 4 – Tied | O'Connell Center (10,784) Gainesville, FL |
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March 5, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
No. 5 | at No. 7 Alabama | W 99–94 | 26–4 (13–4) |
27 – Condon | 11 – Chinyelu | 8 – Clayton Jr. | Coleman Coliseum (13,474) Tuscaloosa, AL |
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March 8, 2025 6:00 p.m., SECN |
No. 5 | Ole Miss | W 90–71 | 27–4 (14–4) |
23 – Clayton Jr. | 15 – Condon | 8 – Clayton Jr. | O'Connell Center (11,191) Gainesville, FL |
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SEC tournament | |||||||||||
March 14, 2025 7:00 p.m., SECN |
(2) No. 4 | vs. (7) No. 21 Missouri Quarterfinals |
W 95–81 | 28–4 |
18 – Clayton Jr. | 8 – Condon | 6 – Clayton Jr. | Bridgestone Arena (18,608) Nashville, TN |
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March 15, 2025 3:30 p.m., ESPN |
(2) No. 4 | vs. (3) No. 5 Alabama Semifinals, College GameDay |
W 104–82 | 29–4 |
22 – Clayton Jr. | 10 – Tied | 6 – Clayton Jr. | Bridgestone Arena (19,049) Nashville, TN |
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March 16, 2025 1:00 p.m., ESPN |
(2) No. 4 | vs. (4) No. 8 Tennessee Championship |
W 86–77 | 30–4 |
22 – Clayton Jr. | 9 – Condon | 3 – Richard | Bridgestone Arena (19,151) Nashville, TN |
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NCAA tournament | |||||||||||
March 21, 2025 6:50 p.m., TNT |
(1 W) No. 3 | vs. (16 W) Norfolk State First Round |
W 95–69 | 31–4 |
23 – Clayton Jr. | 8 – Tied | 5 – Richard | Lenovo Center (19,178) Raleigh, NC |
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March 23, 2025 12:10 p.m., CBS |
(1 W) No. 3 | vs. (8 W) UConn Second Round |
W 77–75 | 32–4 |
23 – Clayton Jr. | 7 – Haugh | 4 – Condon | Lenovo Center (19,244) Raleigh, NC |
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March 27, 2025 7:39 p.m., TBS/TruTV |
(1 W) No. 3 | vs. (4 W) No. 11 Maryland Sweet Sixteen |
W 87–71 | 33–4 |
15 – Richard | 9 – Haugh | 4 – Haugh | Chase Center (16,417) San Francisco, CA |
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March 29, 2025 6:09 p.m., TBS/TruTV |
(1 W) No. 3 | vs. (3 W) No. 9 Texas Tech Elite Eight |
W 84–79 | 34–4 |
30 – Clayton Jr. | 11 – Haugh | 4 – Clayton Jr. | Chase Center (16,778) San Francisco, CA |
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April 5, 2025 6:09 p.m., CBS |
(1 W) No. 3 | vs. (1 S) No. 4 Auburn Final Four, College GameDay |
W 79–73 | 35–4 |
34 – Clayton Jr. | 9 – Chinyelu | 3 – Condon | Alamodome (68,252) San Antonio, TX |
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April 7, 2025 8:50 p.m., CBS |
(1 W) No. 3 | vs. (1 MW) No. 2 Houston National Championship, College GameDay |
W 65–63 | 36–4 |
18 – Richard | 8 – Richard | 7 – Clayton Jr. | Alamodome (66,602) San Antonio, TX |
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*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
W=West. S=South. MW=Midwest. All times are in Eastern Time. |
Team Rankings
The Florida Gators were ranked by two major polls throughout the season: the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. These rankings show how highly other teams and sports experts viewed them.
Week | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Final |
AP | 21 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 5 (1) | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3т (3) | 2 (1) | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 (2) | 1 (61) |
Coaches | 21 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 (1) | 3 (3) | 1 (31) |