Arkansas basketball is getting hot at the right time. The Razorbacks are finding rhythm, the young guards are growing up fast, and confidence is building as SEC play rolls along. But if there’s one team in this conference that Arkansas should genuinely be worried about right now, it isn’t the trendy pick or the highest-ranked squad.
Todd Golden Has the Gators Playing Their Best Basketball
It’s the Florida Gators. The defending national champions. And yes, the same team many people tried to write off earlier this season.
Florida stumbled out of the gate with a rocky 5–4 start and even found itself unranked for a stretch. For a while, the narrative was simple: championship hangover, roster turnover, regression. But that talk has completely evaporated. The Gators’ most recent statement win over Alabama erased any remaining doubt about who they really are.
After dismantling the Crimson Tide 100–77, Florida now sits at 11–2 in its last 13 games, and the way that win happened should make Arkansas extremely uncomfortable.
Beating Alabama by 23 points is impressive on its own. But Florida didn’t win with hot shooting variance or a fluky night. They won by physically dominating one of the SEC’s better teams.
Florida scored 72 points in the paint, five fewer than Alabama scored in the entire game. They outrebounded the Tide 44–33 and controlled the interior from tip to buzzer. That brand of basketball travels, and it’s not a one-game anomaly.
Florida averages the most rebounds in the SEC, and not just the conference, but the entire country with 46 per game. That’s where the red flags start flashing for Arkansas.
Why Florida Is a Nightmare Matchup for Arkansas
John Calipari’s Arkansas team has obvious strengths, but interior physicality hasn’t been one of them this season. The Razorbacks have struggled on the glass at times and have been outmuscled in the paint far too frequently for a team with championship aspirations.
That issue surfaced again in the upset loss to Kentucky, where physicality proved to be one of the biggest deciding factors. Arkansas struggled to match the Wildcats’ strength inside, and it ultimately swung the game. The Razorbacks’ frontcourt production has been inconsistent, with Trevon Brazile flashing potential but seeing his impact fluctuate from game to game, while Malique Ewin has turned in solid performances without the consistency needed to anchor the interior either.
Meanwhile, Arkansas is largely guard-centric, relying on a dynamic trio of Darius Acuff, Meleek Thomas, and Karter Knox to drive offense. That’s a dangerous backcourt, no doubt, but it also means opposing teams can gear their game plan around limiting perimeter damage.
Florida presents a matchup problem Arkansas simply hasn’t solved yet.
The Gators’ three-headed monster of Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, and Thomas Haugh is the best frontcourt unit in college basketball. Period.
- Rueben Chinyelu anchors the paint as the true five. He crashes the glass relentlessly, cleans up misses, and piles up second-chance points that demoralize opponents.
- Alex Condon gives Florida versatility. He can step out as a stretch four, rebound at a high level, and constantly move, forcing bigs to defend in space.
- Thomas Haugh might be the scariest of the group, a 6’9 jumbo wing/forward with elite athleticism, scoring versatility, and legitimate shooting touch.
As of late most teams haven’t found an answer, which explains Florida’s surge and that 11–2 run.
Yes, Vanderbilt currently sit as the highest ranked SEC team. But they don’t pose the same matchup problems Florida does. Arkansas has already gone toe-to-toe with Vanderbilt and dominated.
The Razorbacks and Gators haven’t met yet, that showdown is still down the line. And Arkansas shouldn’t look past anyone. But it would be naïve to ignore what’s coming.
If Arkansas wants to win an SEC championship, there’s no doubt about it: Florida, not Vanderbilt, is the biggest threat standing in their way.
And if the Razorbacks can’t find answers inside, that threat might be overwhelming.