Arizona Wildcats Defeat Florida Gators In Marquee Opening Game
The college basketball season tipped off Monday night in Las Vegas, and Tommy Lloyd’s young Arizona Wildcats just served up a reality check to the third-ranked Florida Gators. Final score: 93-87, and honestly? It wasn’t as close as that number suggests.
The Wildcats’ Youth Movement Takes Center Stage
Coming into this season, most folks were writing off Arizona as a work-in-progress. Seven true freshmen on the roster? A recruiting class ranked second nationally by 247Sports? Sure, that sounds nice on paper, but freshmen are supposed to struggle under the bright lights, right?
Tell that to Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov, who combined for 42 points and played like they’d been doing this for years. Peat dropped 30 points on 11-for-18 shooting, looking every bit like the five-star recruit he was coming out of high school. Meanwhile, Kharchenkov chipped in with clutch three-pointers that had Florida’s coaching staff reaching for the Pepto-Bismol.
The beauty of watching these young Wildcats was how they handled adversity. Down by double digits early? No problem. Florida making everything in the first 10 minutes? They’ll figure it out. And figure it out they did, going on a 30-14 run to close the first half and flip the script entirely.
Bradley Shows Why Experience Still Matters
While the freshmen grabbed the headlines, senior Guard Jaden Bradley quietly put together the kind of performance that wins games. His 27 points on 9-for-14 shooting was pure veteran savvy – no wasted possessions, no panic, just basketball IQ on full display.
Bradley’s 11 points in the final 5:08 were backbreaking for Florida. Every time the Gators thought they had a comeback brewing, there was Bradley with another dagger. It Is the kind of performance that makes you appreciate the value of having at least one grown-up in the room when everyone else is still learning how to shave.
Florida’s Reality Check Comes Early
For a Florida team that entered the season ranked third nationally and riding a 12-game winning streak, this had to sting. Thomas Haugh did everything he could, dropping 27 points and going 12-for-14 from the charity stripe, but it wasn’t enough when Arizona was clicking on all cylinders.
The most telling stat? Florida went scoreless for nearly four and a half minutes late in the first half while Arizona built their lead. Against a veteran team like Duke or Kansas, you might survive that drought. Against a hungry Arizona squad with nothing to lose? That’s how seasons start with a thud instead of a bang.
What This Win Means For Arizona’s Season
Look, it’s just one game, and anyone who’s covered college basketball long enough knows that November heroes can become March zeros faster than you can say “bracket buster.” But there’s something different about this Arizona team.
Tommy Lloyd has built something special in Tucson, and this win proves that the program’s culture transcends individual players. When seven freshmen can walk into a neutral site game against a top-five opponent and look comfortable, that’s not luck – that’s coaching.
The Wildcats shot 49% from the field and looked organized on both ends of the floor. Sure, Brayden Burries had a rough night (three points before fouling out), but even the struggles felt like growing pains rather than fundamental flaws.
Arizona heads home to face Utah Tech on Friday, and if this opener is any indication, McKale Center is going to be a fun place to watch basketball this winter. The Pac-12 may be gone, but the Wildcats just announced they’re not going anywhere quietly.
