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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Details for Florida basketball's 2025 matchup against UConn Huskies revealed
Details for Florida basketball's 2025 matchup against UConn Huskies revealed Florida basketball's matchup against the UConn Huskies at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Tuesday, Dec. 9, was officially announced by ESPN on Wednesday, setting up a rematch of the 2025 NCAA Tournament Second Round. The Gators narrowly won that game, 77-75, en route to their third-ever national championship. This fall, the two teams will once again battle on a neutral court in the second half of the Jimmy V Classic, which is named for NC State head coach Jimmy Valvano, who won a national title at age 37. Florida skipper Todd Golden is just two years older, and his recent success made him the youngest head coach to win a ring since Jimmy V. The game is scheduled as the second half of a double-header that opens with the BYU Cougars facing off with the Clemson Tigers, which tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET. Florida-UConn follows with a 9 p.m. ET start time. The Huskies hold the all-time edge over the Gators with a 5-2 record dating back to their first meeting in the Sweet 16 of the 1994 NCAA Tournament. Third-seeded Florida prevailed in overtime, 69-60, over second-seeded UConn to advance to the Elite Eight. Connecticut won the next five meetings spanning from 2013 to 2022, with a pair of victories coming inside the O'Connell Center and the other two on their home court; the third came in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Semifinals — a 63-53 triumph. Then, of course, Florida bookended the series win a win in the Big Dance this spring. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Forbes
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
NCAA Coaching Carousel: Maryland Hires Buzz Williams From Texas A&M
The Kevin Willard Era at Maryland is over, and the Buzz Williams Era has begun. Williams, 52, has agreed to a six-year deal to coach at the Big Ten school, per ESPN. He leaves Texas A&M, where has coached since 2019, and replaces Kevin Willard, who left to take the Villanova job among much consternation from the Maryland fanbase. Williams will be introduced at a press conference at Noon on Wednesday on the main court at XFINITY Center. Williams has led his programs to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and 13 20-win seasons in 18 years as a head coach. "It is an honor and privilege to be named the head coach of the University of Maryland men's basketball team," said Williams. "I want to thank President Pines and Colleen Sorem for this opportunity to lead one of the most prestigious programs in the country. In leading this program, I promise to uphold the history of Maryland basketball and make Terp Nation proud with the men who represent this institution." "We are thrilled to bring a coach of the caliber of Buzz Williams to the University of Maryland," said Sorem. "His incredible record of success at three prominent basketball programs speaks for itself, but we were equally impressed with his tireless work ethic and his dedication to building a program the right way. He embraces the high expectations here at Maryland and we are all excited to get started on this new era in Maryland basketball." "Maryland Athletics is an important part of the University of Maryland community," said President Darryll J. Pines. "Finding the right person to lead Maryland Men's Basketball was critical to the continued success of our program, both on and off the court. With an exemplary record of competitive success and a demonstrated commitment to providing leadership and development to our student-athletes, Coach Buzz Williams is the ideal coach to lead us forward. We could not be more thrilled to welcome him to College Park." Most recently, Williams served as the head coach for six seasons at Texas A&M from 2019-2025, leading the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons. He was named SEC Coach of the Year twice, in 2019-20 and 2022-23. Williams served as head coach at Virginia Tech (five years, 2014-19), Marquette (six years, 2008-14) and New Orleans (one year, 2006-07). His overall record after 18 seasons as a head coach is 373-228 (.621). Williams has won at least 100 games at Marquette, Virginia Tech and Texas A&M. He is seeking to become just the third coach in Division I head coach to win at least 100 games at four different institutions, along with Maryland Hall of Fame coach Lefty Driesell (Davidson, Maryland, James Madison, Georgia State) and Steve Alford (Iowa, New Mexico, UCLA, Nevada). This past season, Williams led the Aggies to a 23-11 record as they advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. A&M was ranked as high as No. 7 during the 2024-25 season. Williams is one of 12 active Division I head coaches to win at least one NCAA Tournament game at three different programs. He's coached in 23 NCAA Tournament games, winning 12, both of which rank among the Top 25 among all Division I head coaches. For his age (52) and his number of years as a head coach (18), Williams is the active leader in total victories and ranks No. 2 in NCAA Tournament games and NCAA Tournament victories. His teams averaged nearly 21 wins per season for his career. Williams' teams have suffered just two losing conference records – his first season at Virginia Tech in 2014-15 and his second squad at Texas A&M in the COVID-19-marred 2020-21 season. With a 25-23 record on the road under Williams, Texas A&M has the second-highest road winning percentage among SEC teams since 2019-20 and are one of only four programs with winning road records in that span. Over his last 17 seasons as a head coach, his teams have advanced to the postseason 13 times with 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT invitations, including four career NCAA Sweet 16 appearances (three at Marquette, one at Virginia Tech), one Elite Eight appearance (2013 Marquette) and one appearance in the NIT Championship game.
