2024-25 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
Kugel, Riley
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Jersey Number 2
Riley Kugel
- Height:
- 6-5
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Orlando, Fla.
- High School/Previous School:
- Dr. Phillips HS/Florida
Bio
HONORS & AWARDS
2023-24 Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List • Florida
2023-24 All-SEC Preseason First Team • Coaches • Florida
2023-24 All-SEC Preseason Second Team • Media • Florida
2022-23 All-SEC Freshman Team • Florida
2022-23 SEC Freshman of the Week • March 6. 2023 • Florida
ESPN No. 67 National Recruit • Class of 2022
CAREER
Kugel played in 98 games and made 42 starts between his time at Florida (2022-23, 2023-24) and Mississippi State (2024-25) … Earned 2022-23 All-SEC Freshman Team honors and was a 2023-24 All-SEC Preseason Team selection for the Gators under Todd Golden … Posted 926 points, 305 rebounds, 132 assists and 98 steals … Sank 42.7 percent from the floor (334-of-783), 33.9 percent on three-pointers (109-of-322) and 70.0 percent at the free throw line (149-of-213) … Turned in double figures on 46 occasions sparked by 11 performances of 20+ points … Hit multiple three’s in 35 outings, handed out multiple assists in 34 games, grabbed 5+ rebounds 22 times and notched 21 efforts with multiple steals … Transferred to UCF following the 2024-25 season.
2024-25 • JUNIOR
Kugel secured 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game … Started 14 times over his 33 appearances headed by nine of State’s last 10 games (Feb. 15-March 21) … Hit on 43.3 percent of his field goal attempts (110-of-254), 33.3 percent from three-point territory (40-of-120) and 75.4 percent at the foul line (46-of-61) … Collected double figures in 17 games which was tied for third on the team with Claudell Harris Jr. and RJ Melendez … The Bulldogs were 11-6 in those outings … Teamed with KeShawn Murphy to provide 31 outings of 10+ points off the bench which was third among SEC duos in 2024-25.
BEST GAMES • STATE • 2024-25
Kugel’s top performances in non-conference action were a pair of 22-point efforts against Butler (Nov. 29) and versus Bethune-Cookman (Dec. 30) … Ripped off 17 of his 22 points in the second half of the Butler game … Came away with 13 points and six rebounds at SMU (Nov. 22) … Pumped home 19 points during road win over No. 21 Memphis (Dec. 21) … Dialed up SEC season’s best of 21 points sparked by go-ahead trey in closing minutes of overtime against No. 21 Ole Miss (Jan. 18) … Rattled in 15 points at South Carolina (Jan. 25) … Chipped in 11 points and four steals in road triumph over No. 19 Ole Miss (Feb. 15) … Provided double figures in four of his last six outings (March 1-21) … Stuffed the stats sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals versus Texas (March 4) … Notched 11 points sparked by a trio of three-pointers against Baylor (March 21) in the NCAA Tournament.
BEFORE STATE • FLORIDA
2023-24: Kugel turned in 9.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game over his 33 appearances … Sank 39.4 percent from the field (110-of-279) coupled with a 31.2 percent on three-point attempts (34-of-109) and 69.6 percent at the charity stripe (48-of-69) … Started the team’s first 11 games (Nov. 6-Dec. 19) where he dialed up three efforts of 20+ points.
2022-23: Kugel came away with 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.8 steals per game over his 32 appearances … Drained 45.6 percent from the floor (114-of-250), 37.6 percent of his three’s (35-of-93) and 66.3 percent at the free throw line (55-of-83) … Inserted into starting lineup during the team’s last 14 games (Jan. 25-March 15) sparked by 10 straight outings of double figures to finish season.
BEST GAMES • FLORIDA
2023-24: Kugel racked up 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting and a season-high six steals against Loyola Maryland (Nov. 6) in season opener … The fourth UF player to accomplish that stat line during the 2000s … Registered a season’s best of 25 points and nine rebounds versus No. 13 Baylor (Nov. 24) during NIT Tipoff Championship Game … Amassed 24 points at Wake Forest (Nov. 29) in ACC/SEC Challenge where he claimed SportsCenter’s top play with his breakaway slam dunk … Began SEC action with a 15-point effort against No. 6 Kentucky (Jan. 6) … Added 20 points and five rebounds versus Arkansas (Jan. 13) … Poured in a SEC season’s best 22 points during win over No. 12 Auburn (Feb. 10) … The 22 points were the most by a UF player versus a ranked opponent off the bench since KeVaughn Allen scored 24 points against No. 12 Auburn on Feb. 24, 2018 … Provided 11 points and three steals versus Colorado (March 22) in NCAA Tournament.
2022-23: Kugel’s top three non-conference scoring performances: 13 points versus eventual national champion and No. 5 Connecticut (Dec. 7), 12 points against Xavier (Nov. 24) and 10 points versus Oregon State (Nov. 25) … Upped his scoring mark to 12.6 points per contest during SEC action, the highest for a UF freshmen since Bradley Beal’s 14.4 per game mark in 2011-12 … Tallied 13 points and five rebounds against No. 20 Missouri (Jan. 14) … Averaged 17.3 points on 49.6 from the field (62-of-127), 39.6 on three-point attempts (19-of-48) and 66.7 percent at the foul line (28-of-42) over 10-game run to finish season … Started streak with 15 points at No. 3 Alabama (Feb. 8) … Pumped home a season’s best 24 points aided by four treys against Kentucky (Feb. 22) followed by 20 points at Vanderbilt (Feb. 25) … The last UF freshman to secure back-to-back games of 20+ points was Kenny Boynton in 2009-10 … Capped regular season with 21 points versus LSU (March 4) … Tallied 13 points against UCF (March 15) in NIT Round of 32.
HIGH SCHOOL
Kugel was coached by Ben Witherspoon at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida … A four-star prospect who checked in No. 67 nationally in ESPN’s Class of 2022 rankings and originally committed to Mississippi State in November 2021 … Notched 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists as a senior … Captured FABC All-State Second-Team honors in 2022 while his team secured a Class 7A runner-up finish … Posted 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as a junior … Dr. Phillips won the school’s first Class 7A State Championship in 2021 … Played AAU for Southeast Elite coached by Anthony Ricks … Also played baseball, football and track growing up.
PERSONAL
Born on November 30, 2003 … Majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies.
2023-24 Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List • Florida
2023-24 All-SEC Preseason First Team • Coaches • Florida
2023-24 All-SEC Preseason Second Team • Media • Florida
2022-23 All-SEC Freshman Team • Florida
2022-23 SEC Freshman of the Week • March 6. 2023 • Florida
ESPN No. 67 National Recruit • Class of 2022
CAREER
Kugel played in 98 games and made 42 starts between his time at Florida (2022-23, 2023-24) and Mississippi State (2024-25) … Earned 2022-23 All-SEC Freshman Team honors and was a 2023-24 All-SEC Preseason Team selection for the Gators under Todd Golden … Posted 926 points, 305 rebounds, 132 assists and 98 steals … Sank 42.7 percent from the floor (334-of-783), 33.9 percent on three-pointers (109-of-322) and 70.0 percent at the free throw line (149-of-213) … Turned in double figures on 46 occasions sparked by 11 performances of 20+ points … Hit multiple three’s in 35 outings, handed out multiple assists in 34 games, grabbed 5+ rebounds 22 times and notched 21 efforts with multiple steals … Transferred to UCF following the 2024-25 season.
2024-25 • JUNIOR
Kugel secured 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game … Started 14 times over his 33 appearances headed by nine of State’s last 10 games (Feb. 15-March 21) … Hit on 43.3 percent of his field goal attempts (110-of-254), 33.3 percent from three-point territory (40-of-120) and 75.4 percent at the foul line (46-of-61) … Collected double figures in 17 games which was tied for third on the team with Claudell Harris Jr. and RJ Melendez … The Bulldogs were 11-6 in those outings … Teamed with KeShawn Murphy to provide 31 outings of 10+ points off the bench which was third among SEC duos in 2024-25.
BEST GAMES • STATE • 2024-25
Kugel’s top performances in non-conference action were a pair of 22-point efforts against Butler (Nov. 29) and versus Bethune-Cookman (Dec. 30) … Ripped off 17 of his 22 points in the second half of the Butler game … Came away with 13 points and six rebounds at SMU (Nov. 22) … Pumped home 19 points during road win over No. 21 Memphis (Dec. 21) … Dialed up SEC season’s best of 21 points sparked by go-ahead trey in closing minutes of overtime against No. 21 Ole Miss (Jan. 18) … Rattled in 15 points at South Carolina (Jan. 25) … Chipped in 11 points and four steals in road triumph over No. 19 Ole Miss (Feb. 15) … Provided double figures in four of his last six outings (March 1-21) … Stuffed the stats sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals versus Texas (March 4) … Notched 11 points sparked by a trio of three-pointers against Baylor (March 21) in the NCAA Tournament.
BEFORE STATE • FLORIDA
2023-24: Kugel turned in 9.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game over his 33 appearances … Sank 39.4 percent from the field (110-of-279) coupled with a 31.2 percent on three-point attempts (34-of-109) and 69.6 percent at the charity stripe (48-of-69) … Started the team’s first 11 games (Nov. 6-Dec. 19) where he dialed up three efforts of 20+ points.
2022-23: Kugel came away with 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.8 steals per game over his 32 appearances … Drained 45.6 percent from the floor (114-of-250), 37.6 percent of his three’s (35-of-93) and 66.3 percent at the free throw line (55-of-83) … Inserted into starting lineup during the team’s last 14 games (Jan. 25-March 15) sparked by 10 straight outings of double figures to finish season.
BEST GAMES • FLORIDA
2023-24: Kugel racked up 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting and a season-high six steals against Loyola Maryland (Nov. 6) in season opener … The fourth UF player to accomplish that stat line during the 2000s … Registered a season’s best of 25 points and nine rebounds versus No. 13 Baylor (Nov. 24) during NIT Tipoff Championship Game … Amassed 24 points at Wake Forest (Nov. 29) in ACC/SEC Challenge where he claimed SportsCenter’s top play with his breakaway slam dunk … Began SEC action with a 15-point effort against No. 6 Kentucky (Jan. 6) … Added 20 points and five rebounds versus Arkansas (Jan. 13) … Poured in a SEC season’s best 22 points during win over No. 12 Auburn (Feb. 10) … The 22 points were the most by a UF player versus a ranked opponent off the bench since KeVaughn Allen scored 24 points against No. 12 Auburn on Feb. 24, 2018 … Provided 11 points and three steals versus Colorado (March 22) in NCAA Tournament.
2022-23: Kugel’s top three non-conference scoring performances: 13 points versus eventual national champion and No. 5 Connecticut (Dec. 7), 12 points against Xavier (Nov. 24) and 10 points versus Oregon State (Nov. 25) … Upped his scoring mark to 12.6 points per contest during SEC action, the highest for a UF freshmen since Bradley Beal’s 14.4 per game mark in 2011-12 … Tallied 13 points and five rebounds against No. 20 Missouri (Jan. 14) … Averaged 17.3 points on 49.6 from the field (62-of-127), 39.6 on three-point attempts (19-of-48) and 66.7 percent at the foul line (28-of-42) over 10-game run to finish season … Started streak with 15 points at No. 3 Alabama (Feb. 8) … Pumped home a season’s best 24 points aided by four treys against Kentucky (Feb. 22) followed by 20 points at Vanderbilt (Feb. 25) … The last UF freshman to secure back-to-back games of 20+ points was Kenny Boynton in 2009-10 … Capped regular season with 21 points versus LSU (March 4) … Tallied 13 points against UCF (March 15) in NIT Round of 32.
HIGH SCHOOL
Kugel was coached by Ben Witherspoon at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida … A four-star prospect who checked in No. 67 nationally in ESPN’s Class of 2022 rankings and originally committed to Mississippi State in November 2021 … Notched 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists as a senior … Captured FABC All-State Second-Team honors in 2022 while his team secured a Class 7A runner-up finish … Posted 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game as a junior … Dr. Phillips won the school’s first Class 7A State Championship in 2021 … Played AAU for Southeast Elite coached by Anthony Ricks … Also played baseball, football and track growing up.
PERSONAL
Born on November 30, 2003 … Majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies.
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