Florida Basketball Falls to Missouri 83-82

The No. 5 Florida basketball team faced a narrow defeat against Missouri, losing 83-82 at home, which marked their second loss of the season. Head coach Todd Golden expressed disappointment, attributing the loss to a lack of energy and preparation in the first half, where the Gators fell behind by as much as 19 points. He praised Missouri for their performance and highlighted that the Gators' struggles mirrored previous losses, particularly in defending against three-point shooters. Golden emphasized the need for his team to learn from this experience and improve their execution and effort moving forward. Florida's overall record now stands at 15-2 and 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference, with a crucial game against Texas approaching. The loss serves as a wake-up call for the Gators to regain their competitive edge as they continue their season.