Gators tip off SEC men's basketball schedule Dec. 30

Florida will tip off its SEC men's basketball schedule Dec. 30 at Vanderbilt, the league announced Friday.

The 18-game schedule has an open date built in on Saturday, March 6, for rescheduling opportunities ahead of the March 10-14 SEC Tournament. Game times and TV information will be announced when available.

Over the past five seasons, coinciding with head coach Mike White's tenure, the Gators' 54-conference wins trail only Kentucky in the SEC.

The Gators will play two games against Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Georgia, Kentucky and Vanderbilt are Florida's permanent home-and-home pairings, though LSU has become something of an unofficial fourth. This marks the third straight season and fifth time in seven seasons that LSU and Florida have been assigned as rotational opponents, while Florida and Tennessee are paired for the second time in three years.

Among its one-time opponents this season, Florida will welcome South Carolina, Texas A&M and Missouri to Gainesville and visit Alabama, Mississippi State and Auburn. The Gators also have a Jan. 30 trip to West Virginia for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge in the midst of league play.

Florida's February includes two especially challenging sets of back-to-back road games, as the Gators visit LSU (Feb. 6) and Tennessee (Feb. 10) early on and travel to Auburn (Feb. 23) and Kentucky (Feb. 27) late in the month.

The Gators have also scheduled Stetson for a Dec. 6 contest, replacing UConn on the slate after the Huskies pulled out of the game.

Florida Men's Basketball 2020-21 Schedule

Nov. 25: Maine (at Mohegan Sun), Uncasville, Conn.

Nov. 27: Virginia (at Mohegan Sun), Uncasville, Conn.

Dec. 2: Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.

Dec. 6: STETSON, Gainesville

Dec. 12: At Florida State, Tallahassee

Dec. 16: NORTH FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE

Dec. 19: FLORIDA ATLANTIC, GAINESVILLE

Dec. 22: JAMES MADISON, GAINESVILLE

Dec. 30: Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tenn.

Jan. 2: LSU, GAINESVILLE

Jan. 5: Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Jan. 9: KENTUCKY, GAINESVILLE

Jan. 12: OLE MISS, GAINESVILLE

Jan. 16: Mississippi State, Starkville, Miss.

Jan. 19: TENNESSEE, GAINESVILLE

Jan. 23: Georgia, Athens, Ga.

Jan. 27: VANDERBILT, GAINESVILLE

Jan. 30: West Virginia (SEC/B12), Morgantown, W.V.

Feb. 3: SOUTH CAROLINA, GAINESVILLE

Feb. 6: LSU, Baton Rouge, La.

Feb. 10: Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.

Feb. 13: TEXAS A&M, GAINESVILLE

Feb. 16: Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark.

Feb. 20: GEORGIA, GAINESVILLE

Feb. 23: Auburn, Auburn, Ala.

Feb. 27: Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.

March 3: MISSOURI, GAINESVILLE

March 6: Open Date 

March 10-14: SEC Tournament, Nashville, Tenn.