GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Alex Condon netted 25 points, Thomas Haugh added 22, and No. 19 Florida dominated Charles Bediako and the 23rd-ranked Alabama team with a score of 100-77 on Sunday.
The Gators secured their fifth consecutive victory in this series just over a week after coach Todd Golden stated, “We’re gonna beat ’em anyways,” referencing a judge’s ruling that permitted Bediako to return to college basketball.
Golden admitted that this declaration lingered in his thoughts as the game approached.
“I was thinking about that quite a bit last night, actually,” Golden informed reporters, as reported by The Gainesville Sun. “When one of the Alabama beat writers spoke to Nate [Oats] on Friday about it, I felt his response was pretty similar. He said, ‘Yeah, I get where he’s coming from; he’s trying to kick our ass, and we’re going to try to kick his ass. I don’t think that’s breaking news for anyone.’
“But with that said, yes, absolutely.”
This game was so lopsided that the world’s tallest teenager, 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, joined in for the last minute and scored Florida’s final basket.
Boogie Fland contributed 15 points, 8 assists, and a career-best 8 steals for the defending national champion Gators (16-6, 7-2 SEC). Fland excelled against league-leading scorer Labaron Philon. His eight steals tied the program record established by Clifford Lett in 1989.
Philon, who came into the game averaging 22 points, finished with 14. Aden Holloway led the Crimson Tide (14-7, 4-4) with 19 points.
The Gators’ frontcourt made a significant impact. Condon, Haugh, and Rueben Chinyelu combined for 61 points, 29 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Florida outscored Alabama 72-26 in the paint, with Chinyelu contributing 14 points and grabbing 17 rebounds.
Bediako, a 7-footer suing the NCAA to regain his college eligibility after entering the NBA draft, played his third game with Alabama and his first on the road. Florida’s student section jeered him with chants of “G League dropout” whenever he touched the ball. Bediako recorded six points and seven rebounds before fouling out with 2:10 remaining.
Florida went on a 13-2 run late in the first half to build a 10-point lead at halftime and turned the AP Top 25 matchup into a blowout by scoring the first 12 points in the second half.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
