The non-conference slate is over for the Gators, and SEC play is set to begin against Missouri. Florida enters their conference slate with far more questions lingering over its head compared to this time last year, but part of that is due to a challenging non-conference slate where Florida came perilously close to knocking off an array of top ten opponents.
And while three-point shooting is chief among the reasons why the ceiling for Florida feels lower than it did last year, there is a hidden stat that highlights why Florida might still have a shot to cut down the nets once again in 2026.
Florida has given up zero 10-0 runs this season
The site Evan Miya has a stat they call the “Kill Shot,” which is simply put, any run that is 10-0 or better. As great as Florida was at being able to turn things on a dime last year, there were 11 times throughout the year they gave up a run of at least 10-0, and they were 42nd in the country in Kill Shots conceded per game.
This year, despite the shooting woes at times, the Gators have yet to give up a single 10-0 run.
Tennessee, Utah Valley, and Stephen F. Austin are the only other teams in the country that can claim such a feat heading into 2026.
Florida themselves have gone on a 10-0 run 15 times this season, which is 17th best in the country. But given that they haven’t conceded any of these runs, they are 7th in the country in total margins.
So what exactly does this mean?
Florida’s front court has been able to hold the fort down and prevent teams from getting away, even when the shots aren’t falling for the Gators. This is backed up by KenPom ratings, where Florida is 28th in offense but is 10th in defensive rating.
The size of the Gators is still something almost no one has been able to match, and it’s why Florida is 19th in opponents' two-point shooting percentage and 27th in blocks per game.
As Florida opens SEC play, we would be shocked if they navigated conference play with zero 10-0 runs against, but given they have stared down some of the elites in college basketball and haven’t given one up yet, we also aren’t going to rule it out.