Four Florida programs. One building. One ticket.
On Monday, Nov. 2, the first Orion180 Tip-Off Classic brings the new college basketball season to Benchmark International Arena in downtown Tampa. The doubleheader puts the preseason No. 1 team in the country on the floor in the opener, then sends a Heisman Trophy winner into the night game to coach against his alma mater.
For fans in Tampa Bay, it’s the best college hoops night of the year that doesn’t require a road trip.
The schedule
| Tip (ET) | Matchup | TV |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 Florida vs. No. 14 Miami | ESPN2 |
| 8:30 p.m. | Florida State vs. Florida A&M | ESPNU |
Game 1: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 14 Miami
Florida opens as the preseason No. 1 for the first time since 2006, with 47 of 59 first-place votes in the AP poll. Todd Golden brings back four starters (Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Boogie Fland) from a 27-win team that earned a No. 1 seed.
Miami isn’t a warm-up. The Hurricanes are ranked No. 14 in the same poll, which makes this a top-15 matchup on opening night. That’s a tough opener for anyone, let alone the team with the target on its back.
What to watch: Florida’s depth. With so much continuity in the starting five, the minutes behind them will tell you a lot. Watch for Orlando native Denzel Aberdeen, back in Gainesville after a year at Kentucky, and the new international bigs. Meet the Gators beyond the starting five.
Game 2: Florida State vs. Florida A&M
This is the storyline game.
Charlie Ward won the 1993 Heisman Trophy as Florida State’s quarterback and led the Seminoles to the national title that season. He also played point guard for FSU, then spent more than a decade in the NBA, mostly with the Knicks. Florida State has retired his No. 12 basketball jersey, making him the first Seminole with his number retired in both football and basketball.
Now he’s coaching the other team in Tallahassee. Florida A&M named Ward its 16th head men’s basketball coach in April 2025, which made him the only Heisman winner to become a Division I head basketball coach. Before that, he won a state title in 2022 as the boys’ coach at Florida High, FSU’s lab school.
The FAMU tie runs deep. Ward’s father played football at FAMU under legendary coach Jake Gaither, and Ward grew up around Rattler games. Since taking the job, he’s talked about rebuilding the relationship between the two Tallahassee schools. Monday is his chance to do it in front of a national TV audience.
What to watch: FAMU playing with nothing to lose against an ACC opponent, in Ward’s second season on the bench.
Tickets and getting there
One ticket, both games. Admission covers the full doubleheader.
- Where to buy: Ticketmaster, or the ReliaQuest Ticket Office at the arena on game day, opening three hours before the first tip.
- Premium options: courtside seats, suites and group packages are available.
- Parking: buy passes in advance through ParkWhiz.
- Questions: call the arena at 813-301-2500.
Make your picks
- Predictions: call both games on RallyFuel: Florida vs. Miami and FSU vs. FAMU.
- Transfer Tracker: every roster move in the SEC, ACC and SWAC, plus all of college basketball.
- NIL Index: see how players from all four schools rank.
Back a Florida athlete before tip-off
RallyFuel is based in St. Petersburg, so this one is in our backyard. All four rosters on the floor Monday are on RallyFuel, from Florida’s stars to FAMU’s walk-ons.
Set a milestone for your player’s opener: a first start, a first bucket, a double-digit night. If they hit it, your support goes to them. If they don’t, you get your money back.
Fuel your team on RallyFuel before Monday night.
