Top-ranked Florida comes into the 2026-27 college basketball season with massive expectations. As a result, Tuesday’s 85-68 preseason win over Stetson comes as a bit of a disappointment. For a Gators squad this talented, anything short of a blowout against any mid-major is a letdown.
Today’s game would have gone worse for Florida if not for one of its less heralded players stepping up.
Klavzar Comes Up Clutch for Florida
Make no mistake: Urban Klavzar is a key piece for the Gators. However, the junior will likely be confined to a bench role barring a significant injury.
Entering this upcoming 2026-27 campaign, Klavzar is once again slated for a key reserve role. Boogie Fland and Denzel Aberdeen are expected to serve as UF’s starters out of the back court. However, the former wasn’t able to suit up on Tuesday due to an illness.
Klavzar shined in relief of Fland, notched a team-high 24 points. Just as impressive, the Slovenian shot eight-of-14 from the field (57% FG) and six-of-12 from three-point range (50%). Fellow guard Aberdeen also managed to put up 22 points.
For head coach Todd Golden, having an experienced bench piece is quite the luxury. Klavzar played a role as a freshman during 2025’s March Madness run for Florida. He followed that up last season with 9.6 points per game on 44/40/90 shooting splits, earning SEC Sixth Man of the Year. Klavzar came off of the bench in all 35 of his appearances.
What’s Next for the Gators?
Fland shouldn’t be sidelined for very long, eventually shifting Klavzar back into his role as an overqualified backup. That level of depth is a major reason why Florida comes into the regular season as the nation’s #1 team on the latest AP Poll. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year’s shooting prowess should come in handy for the SEC favorites.
What’s scary about Florida is that the strength of this team is down low. Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Thomas Haugh form the nation’s best front court. All three were on 2025’s title-winning squad as well. When the Gators are getting a combined 46 points from their guards, this becomes a near-impossible group to beat.
Florida’s quest for a trip to the Final Four kicks off next week with a high-profile season opener vs. #14 Miami. The schedule dips a bit in quality for the rest of the month before a massive showdown against #2 Duke on December 1st. From there, the Gators won’t face another ranked opponent until the start of conference play.
Even with a middling strength of schedule, there’s no question that Golden’s crew is legit. Following last season’s second-round March Madness upset vs. Iowa, Florida should come out with added motivation this season. If the Gators get an even better version of Klavzar, there’s no telling what they can do going forward.
Florida Gets Help From an Unlikely Source During Preseason Win