Florida Dominates Alabama in Gainesville as Tide’s Defensive Woes Continue
The Crimson Tide walked into the O’Connell Center looking to snap a four-game skid against the Gators, but instead left with more questions than answers after a 100-77 blowout loss to No. 21 Florida.
For No. 23 Alabama, now 14-7 overall and 4-4 in SEC play, the return of Charles Bediako and Amari Allen was supposed to be the boost they needed.
But Florida’s frontcourt had other plans.
Let’s start with the Gators’ big men, because they were the story of the day. Rueben Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh, and Alex Condon combined for a staggering 61 points, and Alabama simply had no answer.
Condon led the scoring charge with 25, while Chinyelu owned the glass-pulling down 17 rebounds, more than half of Alabama’s team total. That kind of dominance in the paint set the tone early and never let up.
Alabama was out-rebounded by 11 and couldn’t generate any defensive resistance. Florida dished out 24 assists and turned the ball over just twice all game.
That’s not just clean basketball-that’s surgical. Meanwhile, Alabama coughed it up 18 times, a season-high, and those miscues turned into easy buckets for the Gators.
Florida Hits the Century Mark
With the game well in hand, Florida head coach Todd Golden pulled most of his starters with a minute left. But center Olivier Rioux stayed in just long enough to put the finishing touch on the scoreboard, dropping in his first bucket to push Florida to triple digits. That moment capped a dominant afternoon for the Gators, who closed on an 11-0 run while Alabama went cold-0-for-6 down the stretch and scoreless for nearly three minutes.
Bediako Fouls Out, Tide Collapse Late
Charles Bediako, in his return to the lineup, fouled out with two minutes to go. The 23-year-old big man played with energy but struggled to stay on the floor, picking up his fifth foul with the Tide trailing 96-71. His presence was felt early, especially on the boards, but foul trouble limited his impact as the game wore on.
Florida, on the other hand, stayed hot late. Despite shooting just 23% from beyond the arc, the Gators were efficient overall, hitting 50% from the field. That was more than enough to build a commanding 85-68 lead with under four minutes left.
Second-Half Slide
Alabama’s defense completely unraveled in the second half. Florida took control on the glass, out-rebounding the Tide 12-5 at one point, and Alabama’s inability to create turnovers or get stops became glaring. Even when the Tide managed to force a rare turnover with about 16 minutes left, the possession ended with a Florida block-another symbol of how thoroughly the Gators controlled the game.
First-Half Momentum Shift
At the break, Alabama trailed by 10, and it could’ve been worse. Florida’s ball movement was crisp, racking up 12 assists without a single turnover in the first 20 minutes. Alabama, by contrast, had just five assists-two of them from center Aiden Sherrell-and struggled to find rhythm in the backcourt.
The turning point came late in the first half. Alabama went scoreless for nearly three minutes, and Florida capitalized with a 9-0 run, led by Thomas Haugh’s five quick points. That surge gave the Gators a cushion they never relinquished.
Turnovers and Missed Chances
Turnovers were a consistent issue for Alabama throughout the game. With just over five minutes left in the first half, the Tide had already committed six, while Florida remained flawless in that department. Those mistakes led directly to eight Florida points and helped the Gators build a 32-20 lead.
Labaron Philon, who led Alabama in turnovers with three, had some bright moments-hitting a three early to give the Tide a 3-0 lead and drawing a foul on a three-point attempt later in the half. But inconsistency plagued the backcourt all game long.
Allen Returns, But Rust Shows
Amari Allen made his return after missing time since Jan. 17 against Oklahoma. In his first stint off the bench, he logged four minutes, recording an assist, a turnover, and a foul while missing his only shot. He later added a driving layup to tie the game at 20, a brief spark that was quickly snuffed out by Florida’s run.
Allen didn’t return to the starting lineup, which featured Philon, Aden Holloway, Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Aiden Sherrell, and Bediako. The hope was that Allen’s presence would help stabilize the rotation, but the Gators’ size and execution overwhelmed Alabama on both ends.
Looking Ahead
This one stings for Alabama-not just because of the lopsided score, but because of how thoroughly they were outplayed in every phase. The defense was leaky, the turnovers were costly, and the frontcourt was overwhelmed. The Tide are now back to .500 in conference play, and with a tough stretch ahead, they’ll need to regroup quickly.
Florida, meanwhile, looks like a team hitting its stride. The Gators have now won seven of their last nine SEC games, and if their big men continue to produce like this, they’re going to be a problem come March.
The Tide will need to tighten up defensively, get more from their guards, and find a way to limit the damage in the paint if they want to stay in the SEC hunt. The pieces are there-but right now, the execution just isn’t.