Florida basketball didn’t just bounce back on Sunday - it roared back.
In a statement win over No. 23 Alabama, the Gators flexed their muscle in the most physical way possible: dominating the paint and owning the boards. Florida outscored the Crimson Tide 72-26 in the paint and outrebounded them 44-33, en route to a commanding 100-77 victory in Gainesville.
At the heart of it all? Junior forward Alex Condon, who turned in one of the most complete performances of his college career.
Condon poured in a team-high 25 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists - all without a single turnover. That’s a massive bounce-back after a rough outing against Auburn the previous weekend, where he coughed the ball up four times in a loss. But great players respond, and Condon delivered in a big way.
After that Auburn loss, head coach Todd Golden had a simple message for his star big man: “You’ve been awesome all year. Don’t let one game affect your mentality.”
Message received.
Condon’s performance on Sunday was his third 20-point outing of the season, and notably his first in SEC play - a reminder of just how dangerous he can be when fully locked in. It also earned him Co-SEC Player of the Week honors, recognition that felt more like confirmation than surprise.
“He looked like a First-Team All-American today,” Golden said after the win. And honestly, it’s hard to argue. Condon was efficient, poised, and flat-out dominant - the kind of presence that changes the shape of a game before the ball even goes up.
This wasn’t the first time Condon torched Alabama either. Last season in Tuscaloosa, he dropped 27 points and pulled down 10 boards in a 99-94 win. Clearly, the Crimson Tide haven’t found an answer for the Aussie forward.
Condon now becomes the third Gator this season to earn SEC Player of the Week honors, joining fellow juniors Thomas Haugh and Reuben Chinyelu. That kind of depth in recognition is rare - this marks just the fourth time in program history that three different players have received the weekly honor in the same season.
The last time it happened? The 2013-14 squad that went all the way to the Final Four.
Florida’s next challenge won’t be any easier. The Gators head to College Station this weekend to face Texas A&M and fellow Co-SEC Player of the Week Rashaun Agee. The Aggies (17-4, 7-1 SEC) currently hold the top spot in the conference standings, with Florida (16-6, 7-2 SEC) right on their heels.
If the Gators want to keep pace - or better yet, take control - they’ll need another big-time performance from Condon. Based on what we saw Sunday, he looks more than ready.