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No. 19 Florida dominates paint, beats No. 23 Alabama 100-77 after Todd Golden’s guarantee

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Alex Condon scored 25 points, Thomas Haugh added 22 and No. 19 Florida handled 23rd-ranked Alabama and Charles Bediako 100-77 on Sunday.

Florida’s fifth consecutive victory in the series came a little more than a week after Gators coach Todd Golden said “we’re gonna beat ’em anyways” in response to a judge’s decision to allow Bediako to return to college.

This one was so one-sided that 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, the world’s tallest teenager, played the final minute and scored Florida’s last basket.

Boogie Fland chipped in 15 points, eight assists and a career-high eight steals for the defending national champion Gators (16-6, 7-2 Southeastern Conference). Fland dominated his matchup against the league’s leading scorer, Labaron Philon. Fland’s eight steals matched the program record set by Clifford Lett in 1989.

Philon, who entered the game averaging 22 points, finished with 14. Aden Holloway led the Crimson Tide (14-7, 4-4) with 19 points.

Florida’s frontcourt was the difference. Condon, Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu combined for 61 points, 29 rebounds and five blocks. The Gators outscored Alabama 72-26 in the paint. Chinyelu finished with 14 points and 17 boards.

Bediako, a 7-footer who is suing the NCAA in an attempt to regain college eligibility despite leaving school and entering the NBA draft, played his third game with Alabama and first on the road. Florida’s student section taunted him with chants of “G League dropout” when he entered the game and touched the ball. Bediako finished with six points and seven rebounds before fouling out with 2:10 to play.

Florida used a 13-2 run late in the first half to help build a 10-point lead at the break and turned the Top 25 matchup into a lopsided affair by scoring the first 12 points coming out of the locker room.

The stat of the game: Alabama had 18 turnovers to Florida’s two.

Up next

Alabama hosts Texas A&M on Wednesday night.

Florida gets a midweek bye before playing at Texas A&M next Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

No. 19 Florida dominates paint, beats No. 23 Alabama 100-77 after Todd Golden's guarantee | iNFOnews.ca
Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (3) drives against Florida forward Thomas Haugh (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Noah Lantor)
No. 19 Florida dominates paint, beats No. 23 Alabama 100-77 after Todd Golden's guarantee | iNFOnews.ca
Alabama forward Amari Allen (5) goes up to shoot against Florida center Rueben Chinyelu (9) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Noah Lantor)
No. 19 Florida dominates paint, beats No. 23 Alabama 100-77 after Todd Golden's guarantee | iNFOnews.ca
Alabama forward Aiden Sherrell, left, drives against Florida guard Isaiah Brown, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Noah Lantor)

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