As they prepare for their 2025-26 campaign, Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies will have revenge on their mind after the latest non-conference opponent was added to their schedule. Multiple reports have shared that the Huskies will meet defending national champion Florida in the Jimmy V Classic, a rematch of their dramatic 2025 NCAA Tournament showdown.
This matchup between UConn and Florida will be between the last three national champions. UConn claimed titles in 2023 and 2024, while Florida lifted the trophy in 2025. It’s also a battle of recent dynasties: the Gators and Huskies are the last two programs to go back-to-back in the modern era. But for the Huskies, it’s also going to be a personal battle.
Last season, the Gators edged UConn 77–75 in the second round, snapping the Huskies’ 13-game March Madness win streak and ending their bid for a third straight national title. Florida went on to win it all, beating Houston in the title game, adding even more intrigue to what is now a marquee early-season matchup.
While Florida will look different without stars like Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin, intrigue surrounds 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux, the tallest player in college basketball. The Gators’ retooled roster also includes Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee and returning big men Alex Condon and Reuben Chinyelu, both testing NBA waters.
For UConn, this marks their fifth Jimmy V Classic appearance and a return to the national spotlight at MSG, where they previously dominated North Carolina in 2023. The Huskies will also face Arizona on Nov. 19 and Texas on Dec. 12 in an ambitious nonconference slate. A high-profile showdown with BYU at Boston’s TD Garden is also expected.
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