Miami Basketball Coach Hints at Renewed Rivalry with Florida

The Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes basketball programs are in very different situations than they were when they last shared the hardwood in 2019.

Since then, Miami reached their first Elite Eight in team history, then their first Final Four before seeing longtime head coach Jim Larranaga step away from the program.

After multiple average seasons, the Gators are now on top of the college basketball world after winning a national championship in Todd Golden's third season leading the program.

While it has been six years since the instate rivals battled it out on a court, new Hurricanes head coach Jai Lucas seemingly hinted this may change soon.

“We will have a big neutral instate rivalry renewed…that will be our big one,” Lucas told Jon Rothstein in an interview with CBS Sports. “It would be a rotating thing that we would do for the next couple of years.”

Though not stated directly, it is easy to read between the lines considering Lucas’ word choice and the Florida-Miami history. While the two teams have only faced off four times since 2010, their programs are forever connected in an enmity driven by proximity.

Going back to 1928, the schools have matched up 69 times, with the Gators holding a 23 game series lead. In the past 10, Florida holds a slight 6-4 edge while on a two-game win streak.

On top of program history, the Hurricanes new head coach is very familiar with the Gators, as well. As a player, Lucas played one season at Florida, being named a Freshman All-American before transferring from the school.

“I have no hard feelings. I love Billy Donovan. We are just going in different directions,” Lucas said after transferring in 2008. “Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do, but it will be best for me in the long run."

In just one season at his now rival, Lucas led Florida in three point field goal percentage while starting all 36 games for the Gators. He scored in the double digits in 15 games, averaging 8.5 points per game.

With Florida looking to go back-to-back for the second time in school history and Lucas trying to bring Miami to new heights as a program, the potential matchup will be sure to add flame to a fiery rivalry reignited in last year’s football season.

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