Preview: Florida Gators vs. Connecticut Huskies NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Connecticut Huskies look to continue their strong start to the season when they host the Florida Gators in a non-conference men’s basketball showdown at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Dec. 9. The Huskies (8-1) have won three straight since their only loss, a 71-67 defeat to then-Arizona on Nov. 19. They are coming off an 83-59 rout of Texas A&M-Commerce on Friday. Forward Alex Karaban, a preseason All-Big East selection, leads a balanced UConn attack, averaging 12.7 points per game. He scored 12 points in the win over Texas A&M-Commerce and had 11 points in a key road victory at Kansas on Dec. 2. Florida (5-3) seeks a resume-building win after a narrow 67-66 loss at then-Duke on Dec. 2. The Gators have been led by the surge of forward Thomas Haugh, who is averaging 18.7 points over his last six games. Haugh scored a career-high 24 points in the loss at Duke, following a 16-point, 12-rebound performance in a 90-78 win over Providence on Nov. 28. This matchup pits one of the nation’s most efficient offenses in UConn against a Florida team that has shown offensive firepower but inconsistency. The Huskies have scored 80 or more points in five games this season, while the Gators have topped 80 points four times but also have three losses by six points or fewer. UConn holds a 5-2 all-time advantage over Florida, though the programs have not met since the 1994 NCAA Tournament. The Huskies’ home game is being played at Madison Square Garden, a familiar venue for the program. After this game, UConn will host Texas on Dec. 12, while Florida will face George Washington in Sunrise, Florida, on Dec. 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Tuesday. The game will be televised on ESPN.