The University of Florida and Florida State University men’s basketball programs will return to Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Saturday, Dec. 13, for the 31st Annual AutoNation Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. The defending national champion Gators will open the doubleheader against George Washington at a time to be announced, followed by the Seminoles taking on UMass of the Mid-American Conference.
Florida enters the Classic with a 19–4 all-time record in Sunrise, including victories in 24 appearances dating back to its first trip in 1992. Under second-year coach Todd Golden, the Gators aim to extend their success in the showcase, having defeated Richmond 87–76 in their most recent outing on Dec. 14, 2023. Florida’s all-time series with George Washington stands even at 2–2, with the most recent meeting a narrow loss in the 2016 NIT quarterfinals.
Florida State, competing in its 11th consecutive Classic appearance, will seek to avenge its 92–59 loss to UMass at the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 24, 2024, and build on a 10-of-13 lifetime record in the Sunrise event. First-year Seminoles head coach Luke Loucks described the matchup as “a great opportunity for our program,” noting that playing a respected opponent like UMass “allows us to showcase our team to the South Florida area, where we have a very strong fan base”.
Tickets for both games are available through the Orange Bowl Ticket Office at (305) 341-4701, via email at ti*****@********wl.org, or online at orangebowl.org/basketball. Game times and television designations will be announced later in the fall.
Both programs will use the Classic as a springboard into conference play. Florida, fresh off an SEC title and deep NCAA tournament run, will open Southeastern Conference action in early January. Florida State, which joins a nonconference slate featuring Houston, Alabama, Texas A&M, and Georgia, will shift focus to ACC play following the Classic.
