Florida Basketball Hour

Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) previews the 2025-26 Florida Gators basketball season. How will the reigning national champions fair as they go from hunters to the hunted? What to make of a new look backcourt led by Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee? With arguably the best frontcourt in America returning, what's the floor for Florida? What role with the two top 50 freshman play? This and muc...

Florida Basketball Hour continues its 2 part preview of the SEC. A season after sending 14 Teams to the NCAA Tournament, with 7 reaching the Sweet 16, 4 in the Elite 8, 2 in the Final Four, and national champion Florida- what will the SEC do as an encore? In part 1, we looked at our top 3 SEC contenders. We now preview the league from spots 4-16.

Florida Basketball Hour previews the 2025-26 college basketball season in the SEC. A season ago, the SEC was the greatest conference in history, with 14 NCAA Tournament teams, 7 Sweet 16 participants, 4 Elite 8 teams, 2 Final Four teams, and the national champion in Florida. What will the league do for an encore? We preview all 16 teams, beginning with the programs we project will finish in the to...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Basket Under Review, The Scout Team) joins Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) to talk Florida basketball as the reigning national champions open fall practice. From the new look backcourt led by transfer Boogie Fland to a frontcourt that should challenge to be among the nation's best-- there's plenty in this episode to get you ready for hoops. As always, fo...

Ryan Hammer (@ryanhammer09) of the Blue Blooded podcast and the outstanding Trapezoid of Excellence joins the show to discuss the upcoming SEC basketball season. Will the SEC take a step back after a historic year last season? Or will Florida, Kentucky, and the rest of the league continue to dominate the sport? Ryan discusses whether he's buying the Kentucky hype, the title window for Cal at A...

Florida's SEC slate was released by the conference this week. SEC Associate Commissioner Garth Glissman joins us to talk all things SEC basketball schedule, including how exceptional weekend matchups, especially as the calendar shifts to February and away from football. Why Glissman found value in fan feedback, too, and how that helped shape 2 Florida-Kentucky matchups in 2025-26. Plus, we go...

Neil discusses the NBA Draft, which saw all 3 of Florida's national title winning guards selected. What do we think of the fits for Walter Clayton Jr. (Utah), Alijah Martin (Toronto), and Will Richard (Golden State)? Plus, insider details on how those picks happened. Florida also released its finalized non-conference schedule this week. Neil offers his thoughts on an outstanding schedule that...

Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) and Eric Fawcett (Burner Ball, Gator Country) break down Florida's big trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium and the other SEC-ACC Challenge matchups. Plus, a closer look at Boogie Fland, Xaivian Lee, Alex Lloyd, Zay Brown, AJ Brown, Urban Klavzar, and the rebuilt Florida backcourt after the departures of the all 4 key backcourt contributors from the national ch...

Florida received huge news on Tuesday when All-SEC big man Alex Condon announced he would return to play for the Gators in 2025-26. What makes Condon, who posted 7 double doubles in 2025-26 and made the final winning play in the national championship game win over Houston, so special? Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) dives into that question, why Condon's the glue guy for the Gators, and how...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) and Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) break down the commitment of top portal guard Boogie Fland to Todd Golden and the Gators. Why Fland is the playmaking piece Florida needed to make another deep run in March, and why the Gators now have a playmaking backcourt as good as any in America. Plus, insider dealings on Fland's recruitment, and why Flor...

Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) is joined by Malik Grady (@MalikG on X) to discuss Florida's portal efforts and roster-building talents. Why Todd Golden is such an impressive roster builder, and why Florida's ability to stay comfortable with being uncomfortable may pay dividends as they pursue players like Boogie Fland. Plus, thoughts on the NBA Combine, the case for Walter Clayton...

Florida Basketball is at the summit of the sport fresh off of winning the third national championship in school history 3 weeks ago in San Antonio. Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) has followed the program for over 25 years and covered it up close for the last several seasons. He reflects on Florida's last 4 decades of hoops, offers historical perspective on the program's accomplishm...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) and Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) discuss the fallout from Denzel Aberdeen's decision to transfer to Kentucky. What does it say about this era of hoops? How does Denzel fit at Kentucky? Why you can't fault Denzel-- or the fan reaction to the choice. Plus, where Florida is headed now in the portal, with a focus on Ohio's AJ Brown, who v...

Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) offers insight into Denzel Aberdeen's surprising decision to leave the University of Florida and enter the transfer portal. A 3 year Florida player and key contributor on the 2025 National Champions, Aberdeen's resilience and hard work were and are a testament to grit in an age when too many players leave at the first sign of adversity. Aberdeen staye...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) and Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) breakdown Florida's 65-63 national championship game win over Houston on April 7, 2025. From the rough and tumble first half to Florida's rally from a 12 point deficit to the final defensive stands by the Gators, every angle in the national title game is covered and discussed. Plus, what is the legacy of t...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) is joined by a host of guests in the immediate aftermath of Florida's national championship clinching win over Houston on Monday night. Guests include: - David Waters of Gators Breakdown - Andy Hutchins of Alligator Army - Anthony Beck of Inside Swamp - Will Miles of Read and Reaction - Malik Grady and more in a special quick-take, championship edition...

Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) and Eric Fawcett (Burner Ball, Gator Country) preview the national championship game between Florida and Houston. The Final Four road ends here. What are the keys to Florida winning its third national championship? What makes Houston so good? How do they guard at such an elite level, and can Florida avoid costly turnovers that give Kelvin Sampson and the Coug...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) is joined by Riley Davis (Heat Check CBB) to break down Florida's 79-73 comeback win over Auburn in the Final Four. Topics include: - How Florida adjusted defensively to slow Auburn's offense in the second half - Walter Clayton Jr.'s second consecutive 30 point performance makes a little NCAA Tournament history - Alijah Martin's awesome nig...

Heat Check College Basketball writer and analyst Riley Davis joins Eric Fawcett to break down the Final Four. How does Riley view the rematch between top overall seed Auburn and the Gators? What will Florida need to do to grab a second win over a great Auburn team this season? How will Auburn go about defending the Gators better in the rematch? Are Tahaad Pettiford and Denver Jones the key to an A...

Ben Young of the Jungle Podcast (@AuburnJungle on X) joins the show to provide a scouting report and preview of Saturday's Final Four contest from the Auburn perspective. Auburn put together one of the greatest regular seasons in the history of college basketball. Ben breaks down how the SEC Champions did it, why their defensive resurgence has led their Final Four run, and how Tahaad Pettiford...

Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) and Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) team up to preview Florida's Final Four matchup with Auburn. Florida defeated Auburn 90-81 in the Jungle in February. Will the Gators win the rematch in what will be the biggest SEC Basketball game ever played? The guys break down the keys to the game, from slowing Johni Broome in the frontcourt, to corralling...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) and Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) break down Florida's 84-79 comeback win over Texas Tech in the Elite 8. How Florida erased a 10 point second half deficit in the final 3 minutes to advance to the program's 6th Final Four. The guys discuss it all, including: - Walter Clayton Jr.'s incredible shots late - Thomas Haugh as the best player...

Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) and Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) take a deep dive into Florida's thrilling 77-75 win over UConn in NCAA Second Round action last Sunday in Raleigh. How Will Richard, Alijah Martin, and Walter Clayton Jr. pulled the Gators out of the fire and ended Danny Hurley and UConn's run of NCAA Tournament brilliance at 13 wins. Next, the boys previe...

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) and Brian Rauf (Heat Check CBB) break down Florida's EPIC 77-75 win over UConn on Sunday in Raleigh. How Florida ENDED UConn's NCAA Tournament winning streak at 13 with elite guard play and great coaching down the stretch. Plus, what's next for the Gators and what they can improve as the program heads to their first Sweet 16 since 2017.

Eric Fawcett (Gator Country, Burner Ball) and Neil W. Blackmon (Saturday Down South) break down Florida's 95-69 opening round victory over Norfolk State in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night. How Florida built a 32-point first round lead, and what to make of Florida's sluggish second half. Plus, Micah Handlogten and Thomas Haugh impress off the bench, Walter Clayton Jr....