GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — The Florida Gators look to continue their strong start to the season when they host the Merrimack Warriors in a non-conference men’s basketball game Friday at the O’Connell Center.

Florida (3-1) is coming off an 82-68 victory over in-state rival Miami on Sunday. The Gators’ frontcourt dominated the Hurricanes, with Rueben Chinyelu posting a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Alex Condon added 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Florida’s only loss came in its season opener, a 93-87 defeat to then-Arizona.

The Warriors (1-3) arrive with momentum after securing their first win of the season, a 91-79 road victory against Boston University on Saturday. Guard Ernest Shelton led the charge with 33 points, and Kevair Kennedy nearly recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Merrimack’s early schedule has been challenging, with its three losses coming on the road against Auburn, South Dakota State and Tarleton State. The Warriors will face another tough test against a Florida team that has averaged 88 points per game in its three wins.

This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Following this game, Florida will travel to face TCU in San Diego on Thursday, while Merrimack continues its road swing at Penn on Nov. 28.