Florida Frontcourt Puts On a Clinic in Statement Win Over Alabama
Gainesville was rocking, and the Gators made sure the crowd got their money’s worth.
With the O’Connell Center packed to the rafters and a national audience watching, No. 19 Florida delivered a dominant 100-74 win over No. 23 Alabama - a performance that wasn’t just about the scoreboard, but about sending a message: this frontcourt is for real, and the Gators are a serious threat in the SEC.
Head coach Todd Golden had been confident about his team’s trajectory, and his players backed him up in a big way. This was Florida’s fifth straight win over Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide squad, and it came with a little extra juice - Alabama had just brought 7-footer Charles Bediako back from the G-League, hoping his return would shore up their interior defense. Instead, Florida’s big men turned the paint into their personal playground.
Paint Domination on Full Display
Florida outscored Alabama 72-26 in the paint. That’s not a typo.
Seventy-two points inside. It was a relentless assault led by power forward Alex Condon, who poured in a season-best 23 points, and Thomas Haugh, who added 22 of his own.
The Gators’ bigs weren’t just scoring - they were overwhelming Alabama physically, mentally, and on the glass.
Rueben Chinyelu was once again the anchor. The 6-foot-11, 265-pound junior grabbed 17 rebounds - marking the 16th time this season he’s led Florida in boards. His presence continues to be the foundation of Florida’s interior success, and on Sunday, it helped the Gators win the rebounding battle 44-33.
As for Bediako, his return was supposed to make a difference. Instead, he finished with six points, seven rebounds, and five fouls. He fouled out without ever truly impacting the game, a tough look for a player expected to be a game-changer.
Boogie Fland Runs the Show
While the frontcourt flexed its muscle, sophomore point guard Boogie Fland quietly orchestrated one of his most complete games yet. He scored 13 points, dished out seven assists, and turned the ball over just once.
But the real eye-opener? A career-high eight steals - two of which led to momentum-shifting dunks in the first half when the game was still up for grabs.
Fland’s floor game was surgical, and his defensive instincts were on full display. Florida as a team committed just two turnovers, with the first not coming until nearly four minutes into the second half. That kind of ball security, paired with aggressive, efficient offense, is a recipe for blowouts - and that’s exactly what this was.
Closing the First Half, Crushing the Second
With the game tied at 28 late in the first half, Florida flipped the switch. Condon threw down a dunk that sparked a 13-2 run, capped by a Haugh three-pointer. Suddenly, the Gators had built a 46-36 halftime lead, with Condon and Haugh combining for 27 points in the opening 20 minutes.
And they didn’t let up after the break. Florida opened the second half with a 12-0 run that effectively ended any hope of a Crimson Tide comeback. From that point on, the Gators were in cruise control, stretching the lead and putting on a show for a sellout crowd of 10,627.
This wasn’t just a win - it was a rout. Alabama has now lost five straight to Florida, with an average margin of defeat of 17.3 points during that stretch. The Gators have their number, and they made sure everyone watching knew it.
Bouncing Back in a Big Way
This performance came just over a week after Florida stumbled in a 76-67 loss to Auburn - a game where the Gators looked flat and unfocused. That loss stung, and the team made it clear they weren’t going to let it happen again. Against Alabama, they played with energy, purpose, and a chip on their shoulder.
And just for good measure, Florida’s 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux capped the night with a late putback - his own miss, of course - with 30 seconds left. It was the exclamation point on a game that didn’t need one, but got it anyway.
The Gators are now 16-6 overall and 7-2 in the SEC. More importantly, they’re looking like a team that’s peaking at the right time. The frontcourt is dominating, the backcourt is clicking, and the confidence is rising.
If this is what Florida basketball looks like in February, the rest of the SEC better take notice.