Florida Faces Texas Tech In Elite Eight Of NCAA Tournament

SAN FRANCISCO – Florida is seeking a berth in the Final Four later today. Standing in the was are the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Gators marched into the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in program history and first since 2014 following an 87-71 Sweet 16 win Thursday against four seed Maryland.

Behind a balanced offensive attack, stifling rebounding and explosive second-half runs, the Gators continued their run — now riding a nine-game win streak and sitting just one victory away from the Final Four.

The top seed Gators (33-4) face No. 3 seed Texas Tech (28-8) in the West Regional final on Saturday at 6:09 p.m. ET (TBS, 103.7-FM) at the Chase Center. Though an SEC showdown with Arkansas seemed possible for much of the night, a late Texas Tech comeback flipped the script, setting up a battle of offensive powerhouses.

The last time these two teams met in March, Texas Tech broke Gator hearts with a 69-66 win in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Overall, Florida holds a 2-1 series lead dating back to the 1960s, but history means little when a Final Four is on the line. UF third-year coach Todd Golden is counting on his team’s depth to be the difference-maker in this high-stakes showdown.

Florida’s Sweet 16 victory showcased exactly why this team is so dangerous. Six different players scored in double figures — just the second time that’s happened in Florida’s NCAA Tournament history. Will Richard led the way with 15 points, followed closely by Alijah Martin (14), Walter Clayton Jr. (13), Thomas Haugh (13), Denzel Aberdeen (12)vand Rueben Chinyelu (10).

Similar to Golden, Aberdeen also believes that depth has been one of Florida’s biggest strengths — and it’s showing up when it matters most.

Injury Update: Condon Aiming to Suit Up

Sophomore forward Alex Condon left the Maryland game after suffering a right ankle injury in the first half, but was able to return. He re-entered the game with 13:29 to play and finished with six points, four rebounds and one block in the win. He missed two weeks in February with a sprained right ankle.

Despite the setback, Condon provided a positive update during Friday’s news conference, saying he’s been receiving constant treatment and hopes to be available for the Elite Eight.

“Feeling pretty good,” he said. “Just a lot of treatment over the past 12 hours or so … I’ll make sure it’s gonna be good for the Texas Tech game.”

Condon added that he planned to rest and limit weight-bearing activity during practice ahead of Saturday’s tip-off and remains optimistic about his status.

“That’s the plan as of right now — I feel like I’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

Texas Tech Keeps Fighting

Texas Tech, ranked No. 9 in the nation, earned its third Elite Eight appearance the hard way — erasing a 16-point deficit to stun Arkansas 85-83 in overtime Thursday. Darrion Williams played hero, sinking a game-tying 3 in the final 10 seconds of regulation, then scoring the game-winner in OT.

Williams has been nothing short of electrifying in March, averaging 20.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game through three NCAA Tournament contests. He’s joined by a core of rising stars: freshman Christian Anderson, who dropped a career-high 22 points against Arkansas, and JT Toppin, who notched his 18th double-double with 20 points, 10 boards and five blocks.

Texas Tech’s roster is long, athletic and gritty — built to wear teams down and fight until the buzzer. Through three games, Toppin is averaging a double-double (20.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG) and Anderson and Elijha Hawkins are each chipping in 11.3 points per game.

What’s At Stake

The Gators are 9-1 in their last 10 games, averaging 90.5 points, 37.9 rebounds, 16.2 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 77.8 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Red Raiders are 8-2 in their last 10 games, averaging 78.8 points, 34.7 rebounds, 14.8 assists, 4.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.4 points.

A spot in the 2025 Final Four in San Antonio’s Alamodome awaits the winner. Florida is chasing its first appearance since 2014, while Texas Tech hopes to return for the first time since its national title game run in 2019.

If No. 3-ranked Florida advances, it would face the Sunday (5:05 p.m. ET, CBS) winner of the South Region final between top seed Auburn (31-5) and two seed Michigan State (30-6) on April 5. One more game, one more win — and the Gators could be back on the biggest stage in college basketball.