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2024–25 Florida Gators men's basketball team facts for kids

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The Alamodome after Florida's win over Auburn in the 2025 Final Four
The Alamodome after Florida's 79–73 win over SEC rival Auburn in the 2025 Final Four.
2024–25 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings
Conf. Overall
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.

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:

2024–25 Florida Gators men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 1 Clayton Jr., WalterWalter Clayton Jr. 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) GS Bartow HS
Iona
Lake Wales, FL
G 2 Pazmino, KevinKevin Pazmino 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Cypress Bay HS
Santa Fe College
Weston, FL
C 3 Handlogten, MicahMicah Handlogten 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Jr SouthLake Christian Academy
Marshall
Lake Norman, NC
F 4 Alexis, SamSam Alexis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Jr Apokpa HS
Chattanooga
Apopka, FL
G 5 Richard, WillWill Richard 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 206 lb (93 kg) Sr Woodward Academy
Belmont
Fairburn, GA
G 7 Klavžar, UrbanUrban Klavžar 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Real Madrid Domžale, Slovenia
C 9 Chinyelu, RuebenRueben Chinyelu 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 255 lb (116 kg) So Stade Malien
Washington State
Enugwu-Agidi, Nigeria
F 10 Haugh, ThomasThomas Haugh 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Perkiomen School New Oxford, PA
G 11 Aberdeen, DenzelDenzel Aberdeen 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr Dr. Phillips HS Orlando, FL
C 12 Mikić, ViktorViktor Mikić 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Fr Hamilton Heights (TN) Belgrade, Serbia
G 15 Martin, AlijahAlijah Martin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 210 lb (95 kg) GS North Pike HS
Florida Atlantic
Summit, MS
G 20 Brown, IsaiahIsaiah Brown 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Fr Orlando Christian Prep Orlando, FL
F/C 21 Condon, AlexAlex Condon 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) So NBA Global Academy Perth, Australia
G 22 Andersen, BennettBennett Andersen (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) GS Jesuit HS Tampa, FL
G 30 Kublickas, KajusKajus Kublickas 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) So Zalgiris II Kaunas, Lithuania
C 32 Rioux, OlivierOlivier Rioux Current redshirt 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) 305 lb (138 kg) Fr IMG Academy Terrebonne, QC
G 33 Josefsberg, CooperCooper Josefsberg (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So Riviera Prep Miami, FL
Head coach
  • Todd Golden (Saint Mary's*)
Assistant coach(es)
  • Taurean Green (Florida)
  • Carlin Hartman (Tulane)
  • Kevin Hovde (Richmond)
  • Korey McCray (Mercer)
  • John Andrzejek (Columbia*)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Current redshirt

Roster
Last update: November 15, 2024

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
*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.

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
т = Tied with team above or below ( ) = First-place votes
Week
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 (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)
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