Every great team has a player whose rise changes the ceiling of the program. For Florida basketball, that player is forward Thomas Haugh.
Once a sixth-man option known mostly inside Gainesville, Haugh has evolved into the engine that keeps the Gators playing elite basketball. His development has not only stabilized Florida during an early-season funk, but it has also positioned the Gators as a major threat in the SEC race, especially for an Arkansas team with championship aspirations and a star guard in Darius Acuff Jr. hoping to claim SEC Player of the Year honors.
Three years ago, Haugh was a depth piece. Today, he’s the guy.
Thomas Haugh's Rise From Unknown to Unavoidable
Haugh’s statistical progression tells the story of his transformation. As a freshman, he averaged 3.9 points per game while playing a limited role. In his second season, that number jumped to 9.8 points per game, showing clear growth and confidence. This year, Haugh has fully broken out, averaging 17.4 points per game and establishing himself as Florida’s most dependable scorer.
His impact extends well beyond scoring. He has steadily improved on the glass, averaging 3.7 rebounds per game as a freshman, 6.1 rebounds in year two, and 6.5 rebounds this season. His playmaking has remained consistent, with assist numbers hovering around two per game over the last two seasons.
Efficiency has followed opportunity. Haugh has shot 45 percent from the field in his first year, 48 percent in his second, and 47 percent this season. From beyond the arc, his improvement has been just as notable, increasing from 25 percent as a freshman to 34 percent last season and 35 percent this year.
These are not empty numbers. They reflect a player who has expanded his game while maintaining efficiency, learning when to score, when to facilitate, and how to impact winning on both ends of the floor.
When Florida struggled early in the season, expectations pointed elsewhere. Whether it was going to be Alex Condon or transfers Xaivian Lee, Boogie Fland. All were expected to provide the spark.
Instead, it was Haugh who lifted the Gators out of their funk.
Game after game, he has been the stabilizer, the player who stops runs, creates mismatches, and brings physicality. His ability to score inside, stretch the floor, and defend multiple positions has elevated Florida’s lineup. At 6’9, Haugh’s athleticism stands out, but just as important is the muscle he has added to handle physical, down-low play, an area where Arkansas has struggled defensively.
That matchup could define the SEC race.
What It Means for Arkansas and the SEC Race
As Arkansas pushes toward its SEC goals and rallies behind Darius Acuff Jr.’s Player of the Year campaign, Thomas Haugh stands as one of the biggest obstacles in the conference.
Arkansas can scheme for guards and switch on the perimeter, but dealing with a confident, physical, versatile forward who can punish mismatches is a different challenge altogether. The Razorbacks have struggled defending star big men all season and Haugh's play would give this team fits.
Going forward, Thomas Haugh is the player the Razorbacks must account for. Ignore him, and Florida will make them pay.
The sixth man is gone. The star has arrived. And the SEC has officially been put on notice.
If you want, I can tighten this further for a game preview, make it more opinionated, or add a strong closing tie-in to Acuff’s Player of the Year race.