AUSTIN, TEXAS – No. 7 Florida (21-6, 12-2) travels to face Texas (17-10, 8-6) Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, with the Gators seeking to extend their winning streak to eight games and solidify their position atop the Southeastern Conference standings. The matchup, taking place at the Moody Center, a $320 million facility opened in 2022, carries significant postseason implications for both programs.
Florida is coming off a 94-75 road victory at Ole Miss, a win that widened their lead in the SEC to two games over Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama. A win against Texas would further strengthen their case for a high seed in both the SEC and NCAA tournaments. The Longhorns, meanwhile, are fighting to remain on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble after a 91-80 loss at Georgia on Saturday. They currently share fifth place in the conference with Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Missouri.
The series between the two schools is tied 4-4. Florida rolled to an 84-60 victory in the last meeting on January 18, 2025, in Gainesville, shooting 49% from the field and scoring 44 points in the paint. Gators guard Alijah Martin led all scorers with 22 points, six rebounds, and four assists, showcasing his versatility with three 3-pointers and aggressive drives to the basket. Walter Clayton Jr. Added 19 points, and Alex Condon recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Florida’s starting lineup is expected to feature guard/forward Thomas Haugh, forward Alex Condon, center Rueben Chinyelu, guard Xaivian Lee, and guard Boogie Fland. Texas will counter with forward Camden Heide, center Matas Vokietaitis, forward/guard Dailyn Swain, guard Tramon Mark, and guard Jordan Pope.
Statistically, the teams are closely matched. Florida averages 86.4 points per game to Texas’s 85.1. The Gators shoot 47.3% from the field, even as the Longhorns are slightly better at 49.7%. Both teams are averaging around 35% from beyond the arc. Defensively, Florida allows 71.2 points per game, compared to Texas’s 75.4. KenPom.com ranks Florida 5th overall and Texas 32nd.
Florida’s recent success has been fueled by a strong offensive and defensive performance. Their seven-game SEC winning streak is their longest in nine seasons, and their six consecutive road victories are the most in the last 12. Coach Todd Golden is one win away from reaching his 98th victory at Florida, tying him for sixth on the program’s all-time list. He is on pace to become the first UF coach to reach 100 wins in his first four seasons.
Key to Florida’s offensive efficiency has been forward Alex Condon, who had 24 points, six assists, and a plus-20 on-floor score against Ole Miss. Thomas Haugh is one point away from reaching 1,000 career points. Xaivian Lee recently recorded his first double-double as a Gator with 11 points and 10 assists. Center Rueben Chinyelu is poised to break the single-season school record for offensive rebounds.
Texas is in its first season under Sean Miller, who has a career record of 504-206. Miller previously coached at Xavier and Arizona, accumulating over 500 wins and multiple NCAA tournament appearances before being implicated in the FBI recruiting scandal. He is 1-0 against Golden, having defeated Florida while coaching at Xavier in 2002.
The Longhorns boast an elite offense, ranking among the top six nationally in scoring efficiency. However, their defense is a weakness, ranking 118th in KenPom.com’s defensive efficiency ratings and second-worst in the SEC. Guard/forward Dailyn Swain leads Texas in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game, and is a key player for the Longhorns. Center Matas Vokietaitis is a force around the rim, shooting 63.2% from the floor.
Florida guard Mike Rosario scored 26 points in the Gators’ last visit to Austin in 2013, a second-round NCAA Tournament game against Minnesota. The Gators won that contest 78-64.
The game will be televised on ESPN2, with Tom Hart and Dane Bradshaw calling the action. It can likewise be heard on the Gator Sports Network.
