Gators Men’s Basketball Predicated to Finish Sixth in SEC

The Florida Gator’s men’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth out of 18 teams in the SEC in the conference’s preseason media poll on Monday afternoon.

SEC Tipoff 🔜#GoGators pic.twitter.com/o9cbluQqcw

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) October 15, 2024

The Gators were also ranked No. 21 in the Preseason Associated Press Top-25 for the first time since 2019.

These standings mark Florida’s highest since head coach Todd Golden took over the program in 2022.

Florida men’s basketball finished the 2023-24 season 24-12 overall and 11-7 in the Southeastern Conference.

Making it to SEC Semifinals

In the SEC tournament, the Gators defeated Georgia 85-50, No. 18 Alabama 102-88 and Texas A&M 95-90.

Florida’s impressive victory over Alabama earned them a spot in the SEC tournament semifinals for the first time in five years.

the tide was low pic.twitter.com/C673JusVHZ

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) March 16, 2024

The Gators finished the first half against the Crimson Tide down 21-2. In a turn of events, UF’s Walter Clayton Jr. and Zyon Pullin joined forces to rack 4 points, making 20 of their 21 free-throw attempts.

This finish of 102 points was the program’s most in 99 SEC Tournament games, dating back to 1933.

However, Florida fell short 67-86 against No. 12 Auburn, ending its SEC tournament run.

It was an emotional loss as 7-foot-1 sophomore starting center Micah Handlogten suffered a devasting lower leg injury, which took him out of the game just 101 seconds in and shook the Gators for the rest of the match.

For you #3.

Love you Micah 💙 pic.twitter.com/e8KnlvJHdf

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) March 17, 2024

Knocked Out in NCAA

In the opening round of the NCAA March Madness, the seventh-seeded Gators’ lost against 12-seed Colorado 100-102.

Buffalo’s guard KJ Simpson used his left forearm to catch Pullin off balance to score a baseline jumper with 1.7 seconds remaining in the match. This final play gave Florida its earliest tournament exit in 13 years.

Prior to this play, the Gators had come back after being down by 13. With less than five minutes left in the match, Clayton Jr. scored a 35-foot 3-point shot to tie the game.

Handlogten Redshirts

Handlogten is likely to redshirt for Gators basketball in the 2024-25 season after suffering a season-ending fracture last season, according to head coach Todd Golden in a press conference in April.

#Gators center Micah Handlogten details his decision to redshirt next season and how his recovery process is going.

“Honestly, I’m doing amazing right now,” he said. “I feel like I’m ahead of schedule.”

STORY: https://t.co/KwDtc0go2G pic.twitter.com/juhqRh1s5l

— Zach Abolverdi (@ZachAbolverdi) May 1, 2024

Entering the SEC championship last season, Handlogten average 5.5 points and ranked second for Florida in rebounds with an average of 7.1 per game.

Handlogten is focusing on returning to the court for the 2025-26 season.

Coming Up

Florida basketball opens up its season against the USF Bulls in Jacksonville on Nov.4.