Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | Men's Basketball
What Happened
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The backcourt of Urban Klavzar and Denzel Aberdeen combined for 46 points, including 10 3-pointers, to lead top-ranked Florida in an 85-68 victory over Stetson in their exhibition game and final preseason tune-up Tuesday night at the O'Connell Center.The play of both Klavzar, the senior from Slovenia, and Aberdeen, the fifth-year transfer from Kentucky (and second-time Gator), proved the best thing about a mostly lackluster performance from the nation's No. 1 team, given what the duo did (or didn't) in last week's exhibition loss against Baylor in Jacksonville. In that one, Klavzar and Aberdeen went a collective 3-for-24 from the floor and 0-for-15 from the 3-point line. In this one, the two combined to make of 17 of their 26 field-goal tries and went 10-for-17 from distance.
Klavzar, who got his first start in a UF uniform when junior Boogie Fland was scratched earlier in the day due to illness, finished with 24 points, while Aberdeen threw in 22 to go with four rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Senior forward Alex Condon had 15 points and nine rebounds, while senior Thomas Haugh had 14 points and seven boards. Senior center Rueben Chinyelu had six points and eight rebounds.
UF shot nearly 51% for the game and went 11-for-27 from deep (40.7), much better than the 4-for-29 outing against Baylor. The Gators, though, allowed the Hatters to stick around -- their lead was just seven points with four minutes to go -- and basically played to a draw on the glass (UF 40-36 overall, just 17-16 on the offensive end). Stetson shot 40% for the game and made nine of 25 from the 3-point line.
Turning Point
Florida led by just two, 42-40, but used a run of seven straight points, five coming from Haugh in transition, early in the second half to go ahead by 11 with 14 points to go. Stetson stuck around, drawing back within five with 11 minutes to go, but the Gators never let the Hatters any closer and incrementally built a lead that cosmetically made the outcome look somewhat comfortable. It really wasn't, though.Staggering Statistic
Yes, the Gators were down a starter in Fland and normally would have Klavzar, the 2026 Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year, coming off the bench. Still, Stetson outscored Florida's reserves 28-4. Add that to what happened in their last outing -- when Baylor outscored UF's bench 33-3 -- and the Gators' backups were bested a collective 61-9 in their two exhibition games. Someone (anyone) has to step up. All five starters played at least 29 minutes, with three over 30. Can't happen.Up Next
Florida opens the regular season Monday night against 14th-ranked Miami at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, a game that will serve as an ambitious neutral-site test against a Hurricanes opponent that returns a ton from their 26-win, NCAA Tournament team of a season ago (they loaded up in the transfer portal, too) and is expected to be among the best teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu. Find his story archives here.
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/ Men's BasketballWednesday, October 28
Wednesday, October 28
Tuesday, October 27
Tuesday, October 27
