Looking for an underdog story? Try No. 3 Florida, which thrives on being overlooked

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Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Todd Golden has a theme for this season, one he recounts in the locker room before every game: “A lot of us weren’t supposed to be here.”

It’s a friendly reminder about how far the third-ranked Gators have come — mostly as individuals but also as a group.

“We all feel like we have this collective energy with the chip on our shoulder,” Golden said. “If we maintain that, we’ll be in good shape.”

When Golden started piecing together Florida’s roster more than two years ago — he has only two players remaining from his first season in 2022-23 — he sought out ultra-competitive guys with something to prove.

The result was a tough and tenacious team that tends to set the tone regardless of venue or opponent. It helped the Gators (20-3, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) earn their first road win against a No. 1 team in program history — a 90-81 stunner at Auburn — and become the fifth men’s team in college basketball history to knock off two different top-ranked teams in the same season. Florida beat then-No. 1 Tennessee by 30 points in early January.

The Gators next play at No. 22 Mississippi State (17-6, 5-5), a chance to face former Florida guard Riley Kugel for the first time.

Kugel, a junior from nearby Orlando, played two seasons at Florida. He was often caught on camera brushing off teammates and coaches last season, got benched for two games in last year’s SEC Tournament and clearly fell out of favor long before he entered the transfer portal.

Most would agree that Kugel’s departure ended up being addition by subtraction for the Gators.

“We stress getting guys that have great attitudes, great work ethics, but most importantly have pride and want to be here at Florida,” Golden said. “More often than not, our team talent and our collectiveness will carry us. But we want to have those hungry guys that are appreciative of the opportunity and want to continue to prove what they’re capable of.”

The…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/looking-underdog-story-try-no-203123940.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2025-02-10 20:31:00

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