The 2026-27 college basketball season is officially underway and the No. 14 Miami Hurricanes are immediately met with the challenge of the No. 1 Florida Gators at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa (Fla.).
Here is all the important information before Monday night's tip-off:
Television Channel: ESPN2
Tip-off time: 6:00 p.m. E.T.
As this is a non-conference matchup, neither the ACC nor the SEC provides official availability. However, on the Hurricanes' side, power forward Malik Reneau (lower-body injury) and center Egor Ryzhov (Illness) are expected to play, despite missing the 109-96 exhibition win over No. 24 Vanderbilt at the Watsco Center on Oct. 23.
Updates will be based on reports from official media or releases from the programs.
Gators:
- PG: Denzel Aberdeen (Fifth-year)
- SG: Boogie Fland (Junior)
- SF: Thomas Haugh (Senior)
- PF: Alex Condon (Senior)
- C: Rueben Chinyelu (Senior)
Hurricanes:
- PG: Acaden Lewis (Sophomore)
- SG: Dante Allen (Sophomore)
- SF: Shelton Henderson (Sophomore)
- PF: Caleb Gaskins (Freshman) or Reneau* (Fifth-year)
- C: Somto Cyril (Junior)
* The starting power forward will be pending on availability.
The Gators are -210 favorites to win the in-state rivalry matchup; meanwhile, the Hurricanes have +170 odds to pull off a major upset. The spread is currently at 5.5 and the over/under at 160.5.
In back-to-back seasons, the Hurricanes take on the Gators, who've managed to retain the star-studded front court for another season. Haugh, Condon, and Chinyelu passed on the NBA Draft to return to Coral Gables with hopes of restoring National Championship honor to Gainesville (Fla.).
The Gators led Division I men's basketball in rebounding last season, averaging 45.1 through 35 regular-season games. The lengthy frames of Haugh (6-9), Condon (7-0), and Chinyelu (6-10) proved to overwhelm the Hurricanes in the last matchup; however, head coach Jai Lucas is looking to respond with new size added to the roster. He landed Cyril through the transfer portal, previously at Georgia, who has experience in facing the Gators' frontcourt.
"Him and [LSU transfer Robert Miller III] both being in the SEC and playing against them for multiple years, you get a different perspective when you play a team two times a year," Lucas said in last Thursday's media availability. "They understand the physicality and stuff we're talking about. What I'm excited about is they've grown so much since they've been here, I don't think Florida is goint to see the same Somto and Rob they've seen before."
The Hurricanes will need to attack the glass better to have a fighting chance against the Gators. In the last matchup, they were outrebounded 47-41. While it's not a significant margin, it still made a difference.
Last season, the Hurricanes shot just 34.9 percent from behind the arc. In the exhibition game, they made 12 of 25 (48 percent). If the Hurricanes start to drain threes early, it will open up the floor more to attack the rim.
The Gators pose several threats offensively, especially in the paint. Lucas will likely run combinations and lineups with several bigs to match the size. In the exhibition, he played Cyril and Miller III together.
It's a matchup the Hurricanes are hoping to be better prepared for, but the results will determine that.
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- " Shannon Dawson on Miami Hurricanes' Girard Pringle Jr. and Lack of Opportunity "
