Gators to host Orange & Blue Scrimmage in O'Dome for fans
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida fans can get their first look at new coach Todd Golden and the Gators men’s basketball program on Nov. 1 at the Orange & Blue Scrimmage, presented by American Campus Communities, in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Admission for this event is for all fans and the doors will open at 6 p.m. The event will begin at approximately 7 p.m. with the introduction of the 2022-23 squad followed by the Orange & Blue Scrimmage, and concluding with several UF student contests on the court.
The Golden era begins on Nov. 7 when the Gators host Stony Brook, and they open their league schedule on Dec. 28 with a road game at Auburn.
Free popcorn will be distributed to the first 500 UF students and team photo cards will be available for the first 1,000 fans in attendance. Inside Gate 1, fans will have chance to enjoy the interactive 360 video booth courtesy of American Campus Communities and take photos with the 2006 & 2007 National Championship trophies. UF students will also be able to shoot a free throw on Billy Donovan Court at the conclusion of the event. One lucky fan will even win a pair of Florida Men’s Basketball season tickets.
New-look Gators
Florida’s 2022-23 is headlined by two-time All-SEC selection Colin Castleton, who Golden recruited back for a fifth season, and the addition of impact players via the transfer portal. Golden returns six scholarship players from last season in Castleton, center Jason Jitoboh, foward CJ Felder and guards Myreon Jones, Kowacie Reeves and Niels Lane.
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Florida’s roster also features seven new players: four transfers in forward Alex Fudge (LSU) and guards Kyle Lofton (St. Bonaventure) Trey Bonham (VMI) and Will Richard (Belmont), along with a trio of freshmen in forward Aleks Szymczyk and guards Denzel Aberdeen and Riley Kugel, a top-50 recruit.
Despite the roster turnover, Golden has been pleased with the team chemistry.
“They’ve been fantastic,” he said. “It’s kind of a new age and way in college basketball to have a lot of new guys in your program every year with the transfer market and everything. Last year at San Francisco we had six or seven new guys.
“This year at Florida we have seven new guys, but we’ve been with them eight weeks in the summer and now four or five weeks in the fall. So, it feels like we’ve been together a long time now, but the guys have been great in terms of being team-first guys and supporting each other.”
