Report: Gators to face Miami in hoops next season
The Florida Gators are set to add another intriguing matchup to an already stout 2025-26 basketball schedule. Per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, UF and Miami are finalizing a deal to play each other next season in Jacksonville, Fla.
The rivals have not squared off in basketball since Nov. 22, 2019. Florida won that game 78-58 and holds a 46-23 lead all time over the ‘Canes. But the teams have split the last four meetings.
While Florida is coming off a national championship season under Todd Golden, Miami will have a new coach next season — former Gators guard Jai Lucas.
Lucas averaged 8.5 points and 2.3 assists a game during his freshman season with the Gators, but left after one season. He landed at Texas, where he averaged 2.7 points and 3.1 points per game, respectively, in his two seasons with the Longhorns.
Top 10
- 1New
Jim Harbaugh sued
Warde Manuel also named in lawsuit
- 2
Ty Simpson
'Coach Saban's not going to walk in'
- 3Hot
Top 25
EA Sports CFB 26 rankings
- 4
Nick Saban
His own harshest critic
- 5
Big 12 Conference
Ends preseason media poll
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Lucas spent the past three seasons as an assistant at Duke.
Florida’s non-conference schedule figures to be among college basketball’s best.
Recently, it was revealed the Florida Gators will face the Duke Blue Devils in the 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge. And, the game will be played at famed Cameron Indoor Stadium on the Duke campus in Durham, N.C.
The two programs have combined to win six national championships this century. Florida won titles in 2006, 2007 and 2025. Duke’s championships came in 2001, 2010 and 2015. Additionally, the Blue Devils won two other titles in the 1990s. Since 2000, only UConn, with five, has more NCAA championships while North Carolina also has three.
Florida also will play UConn next season in the Jimmy V Classic at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Florida had a thrilling 77-75 win over UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet 16 for the 12th time in school history. UF snapped the Huskies’ 13-game winning streak in March Madness and a five-game skid in the series against them.
Of note, the Gators also play Arizona to begin the season in Las Vegas.
