Golden: Florida ‘comparable’ to current UConn champs

• David HaleMar 22, 2025, 05:45 PM ET Close College football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012.

• Graduate of the University of Delaware.RALEIGH, N.C.– In the 10th game Todd Golden coached

at Florida, in early December 2022, his Gators were stomped in your home by Dan Hurley and UConn.Looking back now, stated Golden, whose Florida team will deal with the Huskies in the round

of 32 on Sunday, that was a turning point– when he decided the best method to construct a winner was to develop a group that looked a horrible lot like UConn.Editor’s Picks 1 Related”It certainly opened my eyes to how much we required to improve to be able to compete at the highest level,”Golden stated.”It offered a great– not always the plan, however our objective was to attempt to develop something similar. I feel like we are in a really excellent area right now three years in, in the sense of constructing a group that enjoys playing together that’s actually deep. “The Gators are the 1-seed and a heavy favorite for Sunday’s face-off, however UConn has actually won 13 straight NCAA tournament games and, as head coach Hurley stated Saturday,”still has that DNA “of the group that beat Golden’s 2022-23 Gators en path to back-to-back nationwide titles.That makes Sunday something of a full-circle moment– for both coaches.Golden said he’s not attempting to turn the match versus UConn into a referendum on who’s at the top of the college basketball food chain, but he understands what’s at stake against the two-time protecting

champs.”Even though we may be favored, I think a lot of individuals still believe that UConn is going to win this game due to the fact that of their performance history, “Golden said.”It gives us an opportunity to keep the chip on our shoulder.

I do still believe the main individuals that think we’re going to advance is the people in our locker room. We’ve got to make sure that we play that way tomorrow. “For Hurley, he’s not excited to play the underdog card, he stated, but he acknowledges much of what made his program so effective over the previous few seasons in what Golden has constructed at Florida.That’s part of the game, Hurley stated. Producing a road map to a nationwide title invites imitation– but only the best coaches can take the plan and implement it at such a high level.”I have actually taken a look at the best groups in the country and how they have actually built this year, and I have actually coveted a few of the teams that I’m now facing, “he stated.”What [the Gators] have in regards to their frontcourt is certainly comparable to what we have actually had in our run. Then clearly the border firepower and the veteran guards, us with Webcam Spencer, Tristen Newton, you understand, huge physical guards, Steph Castle. We’ve had the formula the last couple years, and it looks like they’ve got a respectable formula. “If Golden affected a little what he saw from UConn to construct his program, nevertheless, Hurley said he can point back at Florida’s history to discover some of the initial seeds of what he’s created at UConn, too.Hurley said among his most significant expert idols is former

Florida coach Billy Donovan, who took the Gators to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007.”Those Florida groups, those are a few of my preferred teams I have actually ever enjoyed play, “Hurley stated.”To have actually achieved the things that my training idol has actually accomplished, and just how much I like those Florida teams, and we’ve had the ability to do what they’ve been able to achieve, it implies a lot to me.”Still, for all the shared adoration, Hurley stated Donovan has actually been uncharacteristically hard to reach in current days– a not-too-subtle suggestion the former Florida coach has actually been ducking any argument over Sunday’s matchup.”He’s not reacting to texts or telephone call from me, “Hurley joked.”However the relationship suggests more to me than anything since he’s helped me so much. Billy, he’s extraordinary … and he’s affected me in regards to coaches as much as anybody beyond

the Hurley clan.”