Huskies add Florida to their schedule

Add another power conference foe to the UConn men’s basketball team’s schedule.

The Huskies will play a non-conference game at Florida on Dec. 7 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, the school announced on Friday. The game completes a home-and-home contract that began when the Gators visited Gampel Pavilion in November, 2019. The return game has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The game time and television coverage will be announced at a later date.

The Gators finished 20-14 in 2021-22, losing to Xavier in the second round of the NIT. They should be strong next season, bolstered by the return of 6-foot-11 center Colin Castleton and the addition of St. Bonaventure transfer Kyle Lofton.

UConn is 4-1 all-time against Florida, losing the first meeting, 69-60, in overtime in the 1994 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in Miami. The Huskies have won the four meetings since, none more memorable than a 65-64 win at Gampel on Dec. 2, 2013, on a buzzer-beating jumper by Shabazz Napier, 63-53. Later that season, the Huskies beat Florida in the Final Four in Arlington, Texas.

The game will be among several tough non-conference games on the Huskies’ 2022-23 schedule. UConn will play three games at the Phil Knight Invitational Nov. 24-27 in Portland, Ore. in a field that also includes Alabama, Iowa State, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oregon, Portland, and Villanova.

The Huskies will also host Oklahoma State on Dec. 1 in a Big 12-Big East Battle.

It appears unlikely that UConn will schedule another non-conference game against a Power Five team, but rather fill out their remaining six games against mid-or-lowmajor opponents.