GAINESVILLE — Florida’s Boogie Fland is betting he’ll put on a show and produce a winning performance Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The sophomore point guard purchased 100 tickets and expects up to 200 Fland fans to be on hand for his highly anticipated homecoming against No. 5 UConn (8-1) during the Jimmy V Classic.
“I’m excited. I’m going to play in front of my peoples,” he said Monday. “It doesn’t get more exciting than that, especially in December, cold, Madison Square Garden, an NBA arena. I’m ready.”
Fland hopes the matchup between the 18th-ranked reigning national champion Gators (5-3) and UConn, back-to-back winners in ’23, ’24, will be both a celebration and cathartic for the 19-year-old.