UM opens 2026-27 men’s basketball season vs. Florida Gators in Tampa
The University of Miami men’s basketball team will open the 2026-27 season with a high-profile game against the Florida Gators on Nov. 2 at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa as part of the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic.
The game between the state rivals will air nationally on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. on the opening night of college basketball.
“Miami and Florida is a matchup that means a lot to people across the state,” UM coach Jai Lucas said. “To have the opportunity to open the season in Tampa, in front of both fan bases, is something we’re really excited about. It’s great for our program, great for our fans and great for college basketball.”
Miami is coming off a historic first season under Lucas, tying the NCAA record for the largest turnaround after finishing 26-9. The Hurricanes earned the No. 3 seed in the ACC tournament following a 13-5 conference record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed before losing to Purdue.
Florida, the 2025 national champion, went 27-8 and won the SEC regular-season title in 2025-26. The Gators were a top seed in the NCAA Tournament but were upset by Iowa in the second round.
Both teams return key players from last season. Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen are back for the Hurricanes, while the Gators return Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon.
Tickets for the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic will go on sale at 10 a.m. on June 8 at ticketmaster.com. Advanced parking passes can be purchased through ParkWhiz.com. For additional information, visit benchmarkintlarena.com or call 813-301-2500.
This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 12:36 PM with the headline "UM opens 2026-27 men’s basketball season vs. Florida Gators in Tampa."