TAMPA, Fla. — The Gators opened their NCAA Tournament run in dominant fashion, defeating the Prairie View A&M Panthers, 114-55. It marked Prairie View’s third appearance in the tournament, as the Panthers remain in search of their first trip to the second round.
Two years ago, the Gators were eliminated in a heartbreaking 102-100 loss to Colorado in the first round. Last season, Florida defeated Norfolk State 95-69 to begin a run that ended in a national championship. This year, the three-time national champions are aiming to reach that same destination, and they set the tone against the Panthers.
Despite the lopsided final score, the game didn’t start that way. Prairie View came out hot, knocking down five of its first seven shots from the three to tie the game at 15.
Head coach Todd Golden said Florida needed to be sharper defensively in the early moments.
“We didn't do a good job the first few minutes guarding the 3 point line,” Golden said.
The Gators held a slim two-point lead at the first timeout, and that is when everything changed.
Whatever Golden said woke the team up, as Florida exploded on an 18-0 run, its second-longest scoring burst of the season.
Golden’s team dominated inside, outscoring Prairie View A&M 38-0 in the paint during the first half and taking a 60-21 lead into the break. The 39-point advantage marked Florida’s highest-scoring first half of the season and one of the largest halftime leads in NCAA Tournament history.
Florida carried that momentum into the second half, continuing to pour it on offensively.
Junior Center Rueben Chinyelu made history in the process, recording his 19th double double of the season to break a 50-year-old program record. He finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
“Coming out there I did whatever it took to keep us going — rebounding defensively, offensively, touching all aspects, getting my team together. I enjoy doing that. I enjoy playing with these guys,” said Chinyelu.
With the outcome well in hand, Golden turned to his bench, giving Cooper Josefsberg, CJ Ingram, Alex Lloyd and 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux their NCAA Tournament debuts. Rioux became the tallest player to ever appear in an NCAA Tournament game.
Seven Gators scored in double figures, led by sophomore point guard Boogie Fland’s 16 points. As a team, Florida shot over 64% from the field, dished out 29 assists and turned it over just seven times in the 114-55 win.
Golden praised his team’s efficiency and focus following the game.
“We weren’t settling, we were getting good shots. I thought we played with purpose all night,” Golden said.
Florida will face Iowa on Sunday at 7:10 p.m. in the second round, marking the first meeting between the programs. A win would send the Gators to their second consecutive Sweet 16 and the 12th in program history.