Florida basketball faced a tough challenge against the Missouri Tigers, losing 76-74 on the road during their SEC opener. The game started with Florida in control, building a lead of five to seven points in the first 15 minutes. However, that momentum was quickly reversed as Missouri launched a 10-4 run to end the half, tying the game with a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Coach Todd Golden argued that the Tigers committed a similar moving screen on Alex Condon earlier in the game, but the play wasn’t reviewable.

Golden’s complaints led the referees to pay closer attention to Missouri’s off-ball play in the second half, but Florida struggled to recover from a 10-point deficit. The Gators missed their first six three-point attempts after halftime, and it took Xaivian Lee to break the streak. Despite a later three-pointer by Thomas Haugh that briefly gave Florida the lead, Missouri responded with an errant bank shot that somehow found its way into the net.

In the final moments, Florida tried to make a last-second play, but Boogie Fland’s 50-foot heave hit the rim and didn’t go in. Haugh finished the game with a team-high 24 points, while Condon contributed 14 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Lee added 11 points, making him the only other Gator in double figures. Chinyelu had eight points and eight rebounds, but his foul trouble limited his impact.

Florida hasn’t made as much progress as expected

Coach Todd Golden claimed his team was ready for SEC play, but the Gators appeared overwhelmed for much of the game. The starting frontcourt struggled with foul issues, which has been a recurring concern this season. Additionally, poor shooting continued to plague the team.

Fland shot 2-for-10 from the field, including a 0-for-6 performance from beyond the arc. Xaivian Lee made a few three-pointers but seemed off when it mattered most. Haugh was 2-for-9 before a late surge, and the bench combined for just 11 points on 5-for-11 shooting. Walter Clayton hasn’t stepped up like he did last year, and Haugh can only carry the team so far alone.

Despite the loss, there were some positives. Fland recorded seven assists, and the team only turned the ball over eight times.

The Gators’ frontcourt can’t afford foul trouble

Missouri’s size proved to be a significant factor in the game. The Tigers have the second-most size in the SEC, and it showed against Florida’s frontcourt. Condon was in foul trouble throughout the game, and the time crunch in the final seconds was directly tied to Rueben Chinyelu being unable to foul due to having four fouls already. If Chinyelu had one fewer foul, Florida would have had two more seconds to get the ball down the court and potentially tie or win the game.

This was also the first time Florida didn’t win the rebound battle since their season opener against Arizona. Missouri tied the Gators with 37 rebounds, largely because Florida’s big men were all in foul trouble. Micah Handlogten saw extended playing time and made the most of it with six rebounds in 12 minutes. However, whenever Chinyelu isn’t in double-digits, Florida’s offense struggles.

The team relies heavily on getting second chances through offensive rebounds. When that is taken away, it often leads to a loss.

Figure out the mismatch

Missouri exploited a size mismatch against Florida’s guards. Jacob Crews benefited from this, converting on seven of eight free-throw attempts in the first half. The Tigers kept attacking Fland and Lee, allowing them to build momentum heading into the second half.

Another mismatch came in Florida’s offense versus Missouri’s 3-2 zone. The Gators’ reliance on three-pointers wasn’t necessarily intentional—they were simply the best shots available. When the backcourt and Haugh couldn’t cut to the rim effectively, the team struggled. Hitting shots forces the defense to adjust, but Florida’s poor shooting allowed Missouri to stick to its game plan and watch the Gators implode.

The good news is that few teams have the kind of all-around size that Missouri does. The bad news is that this was a Quadrant 2 matchup, and Florida has four consecutive Q1 games coming up. Golden’s team needs to regroup before facing Mike White and Georgia on Tuesday. A loss to their former coach at home could send UF into a spiral.