Florida Basketball Remains Wild Card for National Title

The Athletic sees the Gators as a potential contender, but inconsistent guard play has held them back so far this season.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 5:15pm

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The Athletic's CJ Moore considers the Florida Gators a "wild card" in the race for the NCAA men's basketball national championship, citing the team's talented frontcourt but inconsistent guard play and 3-point shooting so far this season. The Gators have taken some losses against tough non-conference opponents, but Moore believes they could be a tough out in March if their backcourt can find more consistency.

Why it matters

Florida is the defending national champion, returning its entire frontcourt from last year's title team. The Gators were expected to be among the top contenders for the 2026 championship, but their early-season struggles have them on the outside looking in of many analysts' top tiers of title favorites at the midpoint of the season.

The details

The Gators have lost key non-conference games against Arizona, Duke and UConn, as well as SEC matchups against Auburn, Missouri and TCU. Transfers Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee have had trouble finding their footing, and leading scorer Alex Condon has regressed as a shooter. However, the Gators' talented frontcourt, led by their returning starters, has kept them in games and has Moore believing they could make a late-season push if the guard play improves.

  • Florida nearly beat Duke earlier this season.
  • The Gators have improved greatly in conference play since their early-season struggles.

The players

Boogie Fland

A transfer guard who has struggled to find consistency for the Gators so far this season.

Xaivian Lee

Another transfer guard who has had trouble acclimating to the Florida offense and lineup.

Alex Condon

The Gators' leading scorer who has regressed as a shooter compared to last season.

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What they’re saying

“The Gators returned their entire frontcourt from last season's title team, and they can overwhelm opponents with their length and rebounding. The issue has been guard play and 3-point shooting (28.5 percent from deep). Still, on the nights when Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland show up, this is a really hard team to beat. Both have been inconsistent and it's hard to trust this team, but no one is going to want to face that frontcourt in March.”

— CJ Moore, Analyst

What’s next

An upcoming matchup with Alabama could help the Gators separate themselves from the pack and show they are a legitimate national title contender.

The takeaway

Florida's quest to repeat as national champions has hit some speed bumps, but the Gators' talented frontcourt and NCAA Tournament experience make them a dangerous "wild card" team that could peak at the right time and make a deep March Madness run if their guard play and 3-point shooting improve.