Florida Men’s Basketball Dominates Texas For SEC Statement Win

The No. 5 Florida Gators delivered an emphatic 84-60 victory against the Texas Longhorns in front of a crowd of 11,107 at the O’Connell Center on Saturday.

The win marks a resounding response for Florida (16-2, 3-2 SEC) after suffering its first home loss of the season earlier in the week.

Pregame Stakes and Historic Matchup

It was the first meeting as SEC rivals for Florida and Texas (12-6, 1-4), reigniting a matchup that hadn’t been seen in more than 27 years. Florida entered determined to defend its home court, having dominated home opponents by an average of 29.5 points per game this season. Texas, struggling with a 1-3 SEC record, sought to regain momentum after a challenging start to conference play.

Florida’s defense and rebounding were pivotal, with Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu combining for 19.5 rebounds per game in SEC play entering Saturday’s matchup. Meanwhile, Walter Clayton Jr. looked to extend his impressive streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer, sitting just one shy of tying the program’s record.

First Half: Gators Find Groove

Florida faced an early challenge, trailing 18-13 midway through the first half. Alijah Martin provided an early spark, scoring nine points in the first nine minutes to keep the Gators within striking distance.

The Gators then flipped the script with a dominant 13-0 run to seize a 26-18 lead with 7:37 left in the half. Clayton fueled the surge with seven points, including a deep 3-pointer that tied him with Michael Frazier II (2012-15) for consecutive games with a 3-pointer in program history at 41 straight.

Record Alert

Walter Clayton Jr. has tied Michael Frazier II for the most consecutive games with a made 3-pointer in Florida history, hitting the mark in 41 straight games‍ pic.twitter.com/gLJM5cLdNi

— Talia Baia (@talia_baia) January 18, 2025

During this stretch, Florida’s defense clamped down, holding Texas scoreless for more than four minutes and electrifying the O’Connell Center crowd.

Florida held a 37-30 advantage at halftime. Clayton led all Gators with 12 points, while Martin contributed nine. Defensively, Condon shined with eight rebounds and two steals, setting the stage for a dominant second half.

Second Half: Domination

Florida came out of the locker room with heightened energy, maintaining its 10-point lead the majority of the second half. Martin and Condon delivered thrilling back-to-back dunks to extend the lead to more than 20 points with less than 2:3o left. 

amart #GoGators | ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/uAhUZBlXfD

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 18, 2025

Condon recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Martin finished with a game-high 22 points, while Clayton added 19 points and three assists. Florida’s balanced attack overwhelmed Texas.

Florida coach Todd Golden liked his team’s effort after losing 84-83 against Missouri on Tuesday.

“I thought we played incredibly hard,” Golden said. “We were not perfect. We had some, you know, silly turnovers in transition, some missed coverages here and there. But when we play with that level of effort, it allows us to make some mistakes and still be victorious.”

Todd Golden’s opening statement following its 84-60 win against Texas

“We just cannot allow for it to happen where a team comes in here and plays harder than us and to the credit of our players and and staff I thought we played incredibly hard.” pic.twitter.com/mkieuaWY6A

— Talia Baia (@talia_baia) January 18, 2025

By the Numbers: Florida’s Dominance

• Field Goals: Florida shot 49.3% (33-67), compared to Texas’ 36.4% (20-55).
• 3-Pointers: Florida made 8 of 20 (40%), while Texas managed just 4 of 16 (25%).
• Rebounds: Florida outrebounded Texas 41-33, including a standout effort from Alex Condon.
• Turnovers: The Gators forced 14 turnovers while committing only eight, showcasing their defensive prowess.
• Steals and Assists: Florida’s 10 steals and 16 assists further highlighted their all-around team effort.

Standout Performances

• Florida: Martin’s 22 points led all scorers, while Clayton contributed 19 points, including his record-tying three-pointer streak. Condon’s double-double anchored the Gators on both ends of the floor.
• Texas: Tre Johnson, the SEC’s leading scorer, finished with 16 points. Ze’Rik Onyema and Tramon Mark each added 12 points, while Arthur Kaluma and Onyema recorded double-doubles with 10 rebounds apiece.

Up Next

After back-to-back home games, Florida will hit the road for a Wednesday clash at South Carolina (10-8, 0-5) at 7 p.m. (SEC Network, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF). The Gamecocks are reeling after the 82-62 loss at Oklahoma on Saturday kept them winless in the conference.