Basketball is often referred to as a game of runs. However, the scoring streaks were lopsided toward only one of the squads at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Saturday. And it was a team that showed just why themselves, along with the SEC, has been a force thus far.
Coming off five straight games against high-major opponents, UF was back home for the first time in 17 days. But the stakes of the game seemed a bit smaller for Florida compared to the last time its fans saw it in person at the ACC-SEC Challenge. But the result was similarly dominant.
There’s a chance that No. 7 Florida (12-0) may not be able to cruise to as comfortable a victory for the remainder of this season. But the Gators’ all-around dominant performance in their 99-45 win against North Florida (7-6) likely served as a confidence boost with the No. 1 team in the nation awaiting UF on Jan. 7.
It was difficult to pinpoint just one or two things that vastly separated the Gators from the Ospreys in the 54-point blowout (the program’s largest in 17 years), though four standouts came from senior guard Will Richard along with a trio of forwards that all posted double-doubles.
Leading the way for UF was Richard’s career-high 26-point performance on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from 3-point range. Eighteen of his points came in the first half and helped the Gators grab a 37-point 54-17 lead at halftime where they were fresh off a 14-0 run.
Sophomore forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh, alongside junior Chattanooga transfer forward Sam Alexis, combined for 32 rebounds. Alexis led all forwards in scoring, posting 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Rounding out Florida’s nine total scorers in the game were the remaining two guards in its starting backcourt, seniors Walter Clayton Jr. and Martin. It was a quiet night for the duo, (who both finished below their season average in points) but still scored eight points apiece and shot 50% or better from the field.
UF shot 45% from the field and made nine of the 20 3-pointers (45%) it attempted. The Gators were consistently aggressive on the boards, leading to a 65-25 advantage.
Defensively, the Gators were stout, holding the Ospreys to just 13-of-56 from the field (23%). However, North Florida was without its leading scorer this season, freshman forward Josh Harris, who was out with an ankle injury and is averaging 16.4 points per game.
On the perimeter, Florida’s length and quickness overwhelmed UNF. North Florida entered the O’Dome averaging 87.9 points per game this season and 13.6 3-pointers made per game. That script flipped in Gainesville, as the Ospreys shot under 24% from behind the arc throughout a handful of several-minute scoring droughts.
Florida’s aforementioned 37-point halftime lead grew as large as 54 points before the final buzzer, but it was well after head coach Todd Golden cleared his bench and took his starters out of the game as the Gators remained undefeated.
Next, UF will take on Stetson in its non-conference finale at the O’Dome on Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. before it heads to Rupp Arena to open SEC play against No. 4 Kentucky.
Contact Max Tucker at mtucker@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Max_Tuckr1.
Max Tucker is a junior transfer student at UF. After obtaining his A.A. in Journalism from Santa Fe College in 2023, he chose further his education at Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. Max is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a specialization in sports and media. He enjoys golfing and going to the beach with his friends in his free time.
