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No. 5 Florida showcased its dominance Saturday at the O’Connell Center by crushing Georgia 89-59 in a matchup that further solidified the Gators’ superiority in the rivalry.
Florida’s 12th consecutive victory against the Bulldogs also extended coach Todd Golden’s record against former Florida coach Mike White to 6-0.
Georgia (14-6, 2-5 SEC), which came into the game facing its fourth top-10 opponent in six matchups, struggled to match Florida’s tempo, committed costly turnovers and failed to find an offensive rhythm.
The Gators (18-2, 5-2) wasted no time asserting their dominance by jumping to a commanding 51-26 halftime lead. Guard Alijah Martin set the tone by scoring 11 points in the first six minutes in finishing the half with 17 points.
the vision
steal + slam for 15.#GoGators | SECN pic.twitter.com/0xAb3I1rOD
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 25, 2025
Senior guard Will Richard electrified the crowd with a trio of 3-pointers in a three-minute span, contributing 13 first-half points.
Florida’s aggressive defense flustered Georgia, forcing 14 turnovers in the first half alone, including five steals by Walter Clayton Jr. The Gators capitalized on these mistakes, converting them into transition opportunities and maintaining shooting efficiency with 66.7% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
In contrast, Georgia struggled, managing just 37.5% from the field and relying on freshman Blue Cain, who scored 10 of the Bulldogs’ 26 first-half points.
Although Georgia opened the second half with a brief 6-0 run, Florida quickly extinguished any plans of a comeback with a 10-0 counter, highlighted by a dynamic transition lob from Clayton to sophomore forward Alex Condon.
The Gators maintained their intensity, going on a 14-1 run later in the half to extend their lead to 34 points. Condon finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. He limited Georgia forward Asa Newell, holding the SEC Freshman of the Year candidate to just eight points on 4-of-14 shooting.
“They know that he’s on draft boards and being discussed as a top prospect,” Golden said. “Anytime our guys go up against a player like that, they accept it as a challenge and I thought we did a great job neutralizing him tonight.”
Clayton, who also had four assists and five steals, matched Martin with a 17-point output. Richard closed with 16 points, including four 3-pointers and sophomore Thomas Haugh came off the bench to secure his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
he knew it pic.twitter.com/HdKlfRkK5z
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 25, 2025
“This guy’s a monster,” Martin said. “I enjoy when these two (Haugh and Condon) go for double doubles because it puts the pressure off me going in and rebounding. I’ll leak out and try to get two points.”
Florida finished 53.1% from the field and 34.6% from beyond the arc. A key factor in the win was the electric home crowd, which Golden praised during his postgame news conference.
“Our crowd has been amazing, absolutely amazing, especially on these weekend games,” Golden said. “They help create such a great home-court advantage for us. Just the way the energy in the building, just right before tip you can feel it, and they’ve carried us in a big way at home.”
Key Takeaways
- Relentless Defense: Florida’s 18 forced turnovers, including 13 steals, disrupted Georgia’s offensive flow, leading to easy baskets and a dominant performance.
- Balanced Scoring: With five players scoring in double figures, Florida’s depth and offensive versatility were on full display.
- Star Performers Shine: Martin and Clayton Jr. showcased their two-way brilliance, combining for 34 points, nine steals and eight assists.
- Neutralizing Newell: Condon’s defensive effort on Newell highlighted the Gators’ ability to shut down key opposing players.
Up Next
The Gators will take a week break and will prepare for a high-stakes rematch against No. 6 Tennessee in Knoxville on Feb. 1. Florida will aim to replicate its 73-43 upset of the Volunteers on Jan. 7 in the O’Dome. Tipoff is set for noon ET on ESPN and 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
The Vols fell to 17-3 and 4-3 after the 53-51 loss at No. 1 Auburn (18-1, 6-0) on Saturday. They will host No. 9 Kentucky (14-5, 3-3) on Tuesday.
Roster Development
The Gators’ 7-foot-1 junior center Micah Handlogten, who broke his left leg in the SEC Tournament title game last March, was planning to forgo a redshirt season and return to the court Saturday. But he changed his mind after practice Friday and watched the game Saturday from the sideline.
“I think it’s going to be fluid,” Golden said. “As of this moment, I would say he’s probably out. But he could wake up tomorrow and call me and say, ‘Hey, man, that looked fun. Maybe let’s get out there next Saturday.’
“But, again, we’re going to let him create his own timeline for returning, whether that’s next week or next year. It’s really going to be up to him.”
