GAINESVILLE, Florida — The Florida Gators bounced back from a season-opening loss to Arizona with a vengeance on Thursday night, delivering a dominant defensive performance and a strong showing from All-America candidate Alex Condon, who was sorely missed in Monday night’s game in Las Vegas.
North Florida never really stood a chance as the Gators rolled to a convincing 104-64 victory at the O’Connell Center. This win came after Florida’s 93-87 loss to Arizona, which marked the start of their title defense. Despite the early setback, national championship vibes were palpable throughout the packed arena.
A crowd of 10,065 fans roared with excitement even before tip-off as the school unveiled the 2025 national championship banner, now proudly hanging in the rafters on the stadium’s east side. The energy in the building was electric, underscoring the high expectations for the team this season.
Although UF held a clear talent advantage, North Florida put up an early fight. The teams traded the lead six times in the first five minutes before the Gators steadily pulled away and locked down on defense. The Ospreys struggled offensively, shooting just 31% from the floor, while Florida connected on 49%.
This victory marked Florida’s 35th straight home opener win, a streak dating back to a 76-74 loss to Texas in 1990 during coach Lon Kruger’s first season at UF.
Leading the way for the Gators was Alex Condon, who scored 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for his 10th career double-double. He also contributed four assists, three blocks, two steals, and committed just one turnover. This performance was a significant bounce-back from his earlier outing in Las Vegas, where he struggled against Arizona.
In that game, the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Aussie and preseason AP first-team All-America candidate managed only 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, had a career-high six turnovers, and was physically outmatched by true freshman Koa Peat, who scored 30 points.
Backup center Micah Handlogten also made a strong impact Thursday, finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. Meanwhile, Thomas Haugh added 12 points and eight rebounds, helping Florida dominate the boards with a 64-24 rebounding advantage.
The Gators outscored North Florida 66-22 in the paint, establishing their inside presence as the key factor in the blowout win.
With the game well in hand late, the fans energized the crowd by chanting for 7-foot-9 freshman Olivier Rioux. Responding to the enthusiasm, coach Todd Golden gave Rioux a moment to shine. With Florida leading 102-61 and just over two minutes remaining, Rioux made his collegiate debut, becoming the tallest player to ever compete in a college basketball game.
The Gators’ emphatic win serves as a statement that they are ready to defend their national title and continue their dominance at home this season.
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