What Happened

LAS VEGAS  – Heralded Arizona freshman forward Koa Peat tallied 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists in his collegiate debut, while senior point guard Jaden Bradley threw in 27 more, as the 13th-ranked Wildcats put on an impressive and physical performance in defeating the No. 3 and reigning NCAA-champion Florida Gators in their marquee season-opening Hall of Fame Series match-up Monday night before a partisan crowd at T-Mobile Arena. 

Peat, the 6-foot-8, 235-pound McDonald’s All American, hit 11 of his 18 shots and was part of an Arizona offensive attack that went right at the Gators and their veteran, championship-tested front court. Bradley finished nine of 14 from the floor and nine of 10 at the free-throw line, while also pitching in five assists.The Wildcats outscored the Gators 50-46 in the paint. 

AU led by eight with a minute to go, but the Gators scored five quick points and with 35 seconds remaining, then got an in-bound steal from sophomore point guard Boogie Fland, who had a wide-open 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game. The shot was short and UA guard Anthony Dell’Orso made two free throws to take the lead to five. UF, with a bucket from forward Thomas Haugh, who was sensational in pouring in a career-high 27 points, again made it a three-point game, but Peat hit three of four free throws over the final 25 seconds to close out the game. 

The Wildcats, who erased a 12-point UF lead in the first half, held the Gators to 43% shooting for the game (just 7-for-27 from the 3-point line), including 37% in the second half when they also and forced nine of UF’s 15 turnovers. Arizona shot 49% overall and went 31-for-38 from the free-throw line (81.6%). Florida, meanwhile, left points on the line by going just 20 of 30 (66.6%)

Turning Point 

An Arizona run of 22-9 in the first half flipped a 12-point UF lead and energized the crowd. From there, Florida was fighting from beyond for nearly the entire game.

Staggering Statistic

UF, with its entire front court back intact from last season’s 36-win team, figured to be one of the nation’s best rebounding teams, yet UA won the battle on the glass 41-39 for the game, including a 21-12 margin in the first half when the Wildcats, after falling down by a dozen, settled in and took control of the game. 

Up Next

Florida (0-1) will be back in Gainesville for the season’s home opener — under the 2025 NCAA championship banner hanging in the Exactech Arena rafters — to face North Florida (0-0), out of Jacksonville and Atlantic Sun Conference. The game will serve as the season opener for the Ospreys, who are 0-11 all-time against UF, and play their second game six days later (get this) at No. 18 Tennessee.  

Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu Find his story archives here.